A maintenance worker’s decision to report muffled cries for help led police to rescue a woman who investigators say had been chained to a bed and held captive for nearly two years inside a Fargo, North Dakota, apartment. Authorities arrested two suspects after the woman alleged she was repeatedly beaten and sexually assaulted while being confined to a bedroom.
According to court documents cited by Valley News Live, officers responding to a Fargo apartment complex on Tuesday found the woman chained to a bedframe by a heavy chain and padlock around her right ankle. Building management had called 911 after a maintenance worker reported hearing screams coming from inside the apartment. Police said the woman was immediately taken to a hospital for treatment.
Investigators identified the suspects as Arturo Calzada Becerril, 40, and Erendira Amoles, 41. Both were arrested and booked into the Cass County Jail on kidnapping and assault-related charges. They appeared in court on Friday for arraignment, according to local reports.
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Victim alleges years of captivity and abuse
Court records state that the victim told investigators she was brought from Mexico to the United States in 2024 by her former husband, Calzada Becerril. Speaking through a translation application, she alleged that he confined her to the apartment for nearly two years.
{{/usCountry}}Court records state that the victim told investigators she was brought from Mexico to the United States in 2024 by her former husband, Calzada Becerril. Speaking through a translation application, she alleged that he confined her to the apartment for nearly two years.
{{/usCountry}}Police said the bedroom contained a surveillance camera aimed directly at the bed. Investigators also found windows covered with aluminium foil. According to the victim’s statement, she was fed only twice a day and forced to use a bucket as a toilet while she remained chained to the bed.
The woman told investigators that Calzada Becerril and Amoles physically assaulted and sexually abused her during her captivity. She was found with bruises on her face, arms and legs, along with a scar on her forehead that she said resulted from being punched.
Investigators also documented the restraint system inside the apartment. Court documents describe chains secured to the bedframe with bolts, washers and Master Lock padlocks. Officers said foam padding had been wrapped around parts of the chain attached to the headboard.
Prosecutors alleged the suspects kept the woman captive to help obtain immigration benefits. Authorities said the victim is an American citizen.
Court records also indicate Calzada Becerril claimed he restrained the woman because she struggled with drug addiction and he feared she would leave and begin using drugs again.
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Neighbors express shock as investigation continues
The case has stunned residents of the apartment complex, many of whom said they never suspected someone was being held captive nearby.
Neighbor Erin Schauer told Valley News Live that the building has regular evening security patrols. She said it was frightening that such an alleged crime could occur despite routine checks of the property.
Another resident, Reed Bertsch, said he could not understand how nobody recognised signs of abuse over such a long period. He described the discovery as “unbelievable” and said the apartment complex had generally been considered a quiet place to live.