Michelle Knight Watches As Ariel Castro’s Home Is Demolished, Hands Out Balloons For Support [VIDEO]

Michelle Knight stood by the home of her kidnapper Ariel Castro and watched as the house she had been kept in for over 10 years was demolished.

While watching the demolition, Knight held a bouquet of yellow balloons to represent all the unfound abducted children. "I want the people out there to know – including the mothers that they can have strength, they can have hope, and their child will come back," Knight told CNN. She handed them out to others.

Other victims Amanda Berry and Gina DeJesus weren’t present at the demolition, but DeJesus’s family was in attendance. The street erupted in cheers as the house was torn down.

Castro, 53, was sentenced to life in prison plus 1,000 years last week for his crimes, which include four counts of kidnapping and three counts of rape. He pleaded guilty to 937 charges in all. He forfeited the house last month as part of a plea deal that took the death penalty off the table.

Castro kidnapped Knight, Berry, and DeJesus over 10 years ago and held them until May of this year. On May 6, Berry was helped by a neighbor who saw her trying to escape through a door. He pulled her and her daughter – fathered by Castro – to safety before calling the police to save the other women. Since their rescue, the three women have kept a low profile and have released a joint video thanking the community for their support.