14 DAY TRIAL // Ariel Castro, the Cleveland man who kidnapped and abused three women for years until they were rescued this week, has been charged with kidnapping and rape. His mother, Lillian Rodriguez, who probably knew nothing of his heinous crimes, has apologized for his actions.
In the video above, you can see reporters swarming Rodriguez’s car outside her home. She agrees to let the window down and give them a brief statement.
Crying hysterically, she apologizes to the victims and their families for his son’s actions, and insists that she never had any idea of what he was doing.
She also says that her son is “sick,” so her suffering is double: once for her son and once for his victims.
“Leave me alone, I am a mother in a lot of pain,” she says as she’s driving off.
She’s not the only Castro family member to apologize for what has happened: Maria Castro-Montes, Castro’s cousin, has also issued a statement on the matter.
“We are horribly sorry for what the three of you went through. [Castro does not] define this family and we hope that people don't judge an entire family on one person’s actions,” she said, addressing the victims directly.