TOLEDO, OH (WTOL) - The man at the center of an intense investigation surrounding one of his children say he's wrongfully jailed.
After putting in three requests to hear his side, Timothy Ciboro sat down with WTOL 11's Joe Stoll for a one-on-one interview Monday.
The victim, who isn't being naming, told Toledo police officers that her step-dad shackled her to a beam in the basement and fed her spoiled food. She was able to escape after she told police she found a key to the shackles and the two men left for a jog.
The interview lasted about 15 minutes. Joe Stoll asked Timothy a wide range of questions and presented a number of the disturbing allegations against him. But Timothy denied any wrong doing.
In fact, he even said he and Esten have actually looked into being foster parents at some point.
"I did the foster care schooling myself, me and Esten did, years ago. We were going to get foster kids when I had three," he said during the interview.
But Timothy wouldn't answer the question as to whether or not he locked the teen up.
"Actually, right at this point, I'm not going to answer that," he said.
And as to why the alleged victim would make all of it up, Timothy painted her as a troubled teen.
"Because she wanted to be away from the house and she wanted to be with people that I knew wasn't good enough for her and her well-being," he said.
Timothy and Esten almost escaped captivity themselves. Police say they got to the home just as the two were packing up a van to leave. Police say they had the other two other children, a 9-year-old girl and a 10-year-old boy, in the vehicle, as well as a gun and a road map.
When asked if they were going to flee, Timothy responded with, "No… I'm not going to tell you."
Right now, all three kids are in foster care, awaiting the agencies decision on what to do with them permanently. WTOL 11 has learned that the two younger children are biologically Timothy's. The 13-year-old is Timothy's step-daughter.
In the meantime, the search is on for their mom, Stafonda Hawkins, who police say jumped town and went to Las Vegas, NV several years ago, leaving her kids behind.
"She hasn't had a chance to raise three wonderful kids," Ciboro said as he began to cry. "I've got to see the kids grow from being babies to the ages they are now."
Authorities are trying to locate Hawkins, but have not had any luck.
"I miss my children. I love them with all my heart. I pray that they're well taken care of. I pray that they're all in good Christian homes," Ciboro said during the interview.
He also said he wanted his son Esten's mother Melody to take the two younger children into her care. WTOL 11 reached out to her, but she declined to comment.
Children Services held a meeting with case workers late in the afternoon Monday to decide the best living arrangement for the children. They also declined WTOL 11's request for an interview, but did send out this statement:
"The three children involved in the Noble Street case continue to be well cared for by foster parents and LCCS caseworkers. They are adjusting to their new environment as best as can be expected."
Esten has declined WTOL 11's requests for an on-camera interview. Both men are currently scheduled to appear for a preliminary hearing Thursday morning in Toledo Municipal Court.
WTOL 11 also obtained video of Timothy and Esten being booked last week at Lucas County Jail. Watch that video in the player above.
