Ohio Suspect's Ex-Wife Alleged Severe Abuse

The mother of the children of one of the suspects in the abduction of three women in Ohio once accused him of brutally beating her, according to court documents dating back almost a decade.

Grimelda Figueroa, who passed away last year, filed a petition for protection in 2005 against Ariel Castro, alleging severe physical abuse.

The documents show Ms Figueroa accused Castro of breaking her nose twice, knocking out one of her teeth, dislocating her shoulder and causing her to break several ribs. She also suffered an inoperable blood clot on her brain.

She claimed Castro threatened a handful of times to kill her and her children and that he "frequently abducts daughters and keeps them from mother/legal custodian".

Ms Figueroa asked the court to keep Castro away from her and her children. However, records show her attorney failed to appear at a court hearing in late 2005, causing the request for protection to be dismissed.

Administrative Judge Diane Palos told Fox News Ms Figueroa does not appear to have been legally married to or divorced from Castro, but that the couple may have had a common-law marriage.

Court records also show Castro was arrested in 1993 for alleged domestic violence, but those charges were later dropped.

Castro is suspected of abducting three women nearly a decade ago and holding them in a Cleveland house until their rescue earlier this week.

Police Chief Michael McGrath said Michelle Knight, Amanda Berry and Gina DeJesus were in good physical condition despite having been physically bound with ropes and chains.

"We have confirmation they were bound and there were chains and ropes in the hall," he said.

Mr McGrath also said they had been allowed out of the house "very rarely", adding: "They were released out in the backyard once in a while I believe."

Police have been searching the property and said no human remains have been found at the house. Officers had reportedly been looking for "possible aborted babies".

Miss Berry gave birth to a daughter, now six years old, while in captivity.

But sources told WKYC that as many as five pregnancies occurred in the house. They were also told the captors would beat the pregnant girls and that most of the babies did not survive.

Castro, 52, who owned and lived at the property, and his two brothers Pedro, 54, and Onil, 50, are now in custody after being arrested on suspicion of holding the women captive.

Police say they intend to charge the men.

Mr McGrath said they "are talking" but he would not say if they have confessed.

He also told NBC he was "absolutely" sure police did everything they could to find the women over the years and he disputed claims by neighbours that officers had been called to the house before for suspicious circumstances.

Ariel Castro is believed to have been friends with Miss DeJesus' father and reportedly helped in the search for her.

He handed out fliers after she vanished and performed music at a fundraiser held in her honour, it is claimed.

Antony Quiros said he attended a vigil for Miss DeJesus about a year ago and saw Ariel Castro comforting the missing girl’s mother.

Miss Knight, now 32, Miss Berry, 27, and Miss DeJesus, 23, were abducted separately in 2002, 2003 and 2004 when they were 20, 16 and 14 respectively.

The three women were rescued after a frantic 911 call by Miss Berry, who escaped, led police to Castro's run-down property, where authorities say the trio had been held captive.