Woman Rescued From Two-Year Captivity in North Dakota Apartment
A Fargo maintenance worker discovered a woman chained to a bed in a North Dakota apartment after hearing cries for help. Police arrested a man and a woman on kidnapping and assault charges.
A maintenance worker at an apartment building in Fargo, North Dakota, heard cries for help on Tuesday, November 3, discovering a woman chained to a bed inside one of the units. Police officers rushed to the scene, freed the victim, and transferred her to a local hospital for medical evaluation. According to court documents, the woman stated she had not been allowed to leave the apartment for two years.
Investigators revealed that a heavy chain and padlock were secured around the victim's right ankle, with the opposite end anchored to the bed frame. The room was monitored by a security camera directed at the bed, and the windows were completely covered with aluminum foil. The victim reported receiving food only twice a day and being forced to use a bucket for sanitation.
Speaking through an interpreter, the woman told investigators that her former husband, 40-year-old Arturo Quesada-Becerril, brought her from Mexico in 2024. She alleged that Quesada-Becerril and his partner, 41-year-old Arandira Amoles, physically and sexually assaulted her. Law enforcement documented extensive bruising and injuries across her body and face.
According to court filings, Quesada-Becerril admitted to chaining the woman to prevent her from escaping. Amoles confessed to locking the chain, stating she secured it before leaving to pick up her daughter from school. Meanwhile, the suspects claimed the woman had previously attacked them, alleging one incident involving a knife.
During a court hearing on Friday, prosecutors stated that the victim is a US citizen and that the suspects held her captive to secure immigration status. Both suspects face charges of kidnapping and multiple counts of assault and violence, with bail set at 500,000 dollars each. The allegations remain pending in court.
Local residents expressed shock, stating they had no suspicion of the captivity. Neighbor Reed Bertsch told Valley News Live that the situation is incomprehensible. Another resident noted that security guards patrol the buildings nightly, yet no one suspected that a woman was being held against her will.
