Mother of Cleveland captive doubted daughter would be found

Barbara Knight, mother of Michelle Knight, one of the women believed to have been held captive for nearly a decade, said on the "Today" show that she had questioned whether her daughter would ever be found.

"I had my doubts, but then I’d look on the bright side; I’d go to God and prayed for some kind of thing to tell me if she’s alive or not," she said.

Barbara, then 20-year-old Michelle and Michelle's son were living together when Michelle lost custody of her son. Michelle disappeared a short time later, in 2002, and police and social workers did not think it was an abduction.

"Because she was 20, they figured she left because she was upset, because of the baby and everything," said Barbara Knight. She added she was told by police that if Michelle broke any laws or if they spotted her, they would let Barbara know. They never did.

"Certain people told me she wanted nothing to do with me," she said. "But still in my heart, I thought, no, because I know my Michelle."

Barbara Knight now lives in Florida. When she learned that her daughter had been found alive, held captive in a house in Cleveland, she started to cry.

"I was happy that they found her." she said. "I've been looking for her, and I don't want them to think I forgot about her."

Knight traveled to Cleveland to reunite with her daughter, but so far has not been in contact with her.

If she could talk to her, Knight said on the "Today" show, she'd tell her, "I love you and missed you all this time and hopefully whatever happened between us, if something did, I hope it helps because I really want to take her back to Florida with me. I don’t want to leave her in Cleveland."

“I know she’s probably angry because she thought she’d never be found, but thank God someone did. "