Toledo Police: 13-year-old held captive, shackled in basement for a year

TOLEDO, Oh. (WNWO) -- Two Toledo men have been arrested for allegedly holding a girl captive for over a year.

According to court documents, Esten Ciboro, 27, and his father, Timothy Ciboro, 53, are accused of endangering children (torture, cruelly abuse) and kidnapping.

The victim, a now 13-year-old girl, says that Esten is her step-brother and they lived at a home, at 825 Noble Street, with Timothy, her step-father, and two other siblings.

The girl told police that she was kept in the basement of the home, shackled to a support beam by her ankle. She said she was fed spoiled and old scraps of food and forced to relieve herself in a bucket which contained ammonia.

The victim was kept in this way for over a year, according to a complaint.

Toledo police shed some light on the story Thursday when asked how the girl was rescued from the home. Lt. Joe Heffernan says the girl was able to secure a handcuff key and keep it hidden before using it to escape from the home just after 9 p.m. Wednesday. She was spotted along Water Street, near the Port Authority building, by a good Samaritan who first called Timothy Ciboro, according to police. The father hung up on the citizen, who then called police.

911 Call made after the discovery of the 13-year-old

Woman discovers Toledo girl who escaped home captivity

When police arrived at the Noble Street home, Timothy and Esten were in the process of trying to escape in a van with Timothy's two younger children. The two suspects, who were carrying a lockbox with a gun and other packed items, were taken into custody by police. The two children, a boy and a girl, were transported to Children's Services.

Police say evidence supporting the allegations was recovered from inside the home. A set of large handcuffs or leg irons was found in the basement. They were chained to a support beam. A bucket with ammonia was also found.

Esten and Timothy Ciboro went before a judge Thursday morning in Toledo Municipal Court. They were arraigned on charges of endangering children torture cruelly abuse and kidnapping to terrorize or inflict serious physical harm. They have been ordered held in the Lucas County Jail on $500,000 bond.

Travis Bell, a neighbor of the Ciboro's, told NBC 24 that the family was quiet. "They didn't want to talk at all," said Bell, of Timothy and Esten. "They weren't trying to get to know you." He said he had never seen the girl and didn't even know her name.

"I never thought anything like this would happen, that's sickening, that's nasty," said Bell. "If I would have (knew), I swear I would have kicked that door in."

Family of teen police say held captive flew 'under the radar'

The Noble Street home is owned by Esten Ciboro, according to the Lucas County Auditor. Ownership was transferred to him by Timothy Ciboro in 2014.

(This is a developing story and will be updated.)