( CNN ) -- Ariel Castro 's ex-daughter-in-law never felt comfortable around the man who police say kept three young women trapped in a Cleveland home for a decade . Monica Stephens -- who was once married to Castro 's son Anthony -- said she never developed a close relationship with Castro , primarily because of the stories her ex-husband and ex-mother-in-law had shared with her . `` I never had the desire to get to know him personally or very closely , '' Stephens told CNN 's Piers Morgan on Tuesday night . `` Both my ex-husband and his mother had shared with me stories of how he had beaten them , locked them in the house , just treated them like hostages , so I never had a desire to get to know him . He did n't have that like , you know , father-in-law appeal . '' Photographs give glimpse of Castro 's yard . Stephens said she had been told Castro 's alleged abuse of Anthony Castro began when he was a child and that he even beat his wife , Grimilda Figueroa , after she had brain surgery . `` He still continued to beat her . He hit her in the head . Either he kicked her or hit her with a lead pipe , '' she said . `` I do n't even think I really fully could grasp just how horrible some of the stories were . '' In addition to the beatings , Castro `` played a lot of mind games '' with the family members , Stephens said she was told . Court documents show that Castro was in fact accused in 2005 of repeated abuse and domestic violence against Figueroa . The allegations include a broken nose , broken ribs and threats to kill her . But after several missed court appearances by Castro and repeated court delays , the petition was dismissed . Lawyers for Castro told CNN affiliate WKYC that their client is being wrongly depicted by many . `` The initial portrayal by the media has been one of a 'monster ' and that 's not the impression that I got when I talked to him for three hours , '' attorney Craig Weintraub told WKYC . Another Castro attorney , Jaye Schlachet , added : `` I know the media wants to jump to conclusions and all the people in the community want to say terrible things about the person who 's accused . We are not even at the beginning of the process . If this was a marathon race , we 're not even at the starting line yet . '' During her marriage , Stephens made a visit with Anthony Castro to Ariel Castro 's home . Stories she heard about how he would `` obsessively '' keep things locked up in the house made her nervous during her short visit . Castro 's brothers : Ariel fooled us . `` I do n't think we were there more than 20 minutes . It was n't a normal occurrence . I think that was the one and only time I had ever been there . Ariel Castro always gave me the heebie-jeebies , but I thought that was just because of my personal bias , '' she said . `` Like I said , I just attribute to the things I had heard about him . '' Stephens said she did n't hear any unusual noises when she was in the house . The three women once held captive in that house -- Amanda Berry , Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight -- have said in a statement from their attorney they want privacy so they can reconnect with their families . They also wo n't be giving any media interviews until after the criminal case against Castro is complete . Castro 's daughter crushed by news her father allegedly abducted her friend . Berry and DeJesus returned to joyous homecomings with their families last week . The whereabouts of Knight are unknown . She has not reunited with her family , but a source close to the investigation told CNN she `` is in a safe place and very comfortable . '' Castro , a 52-year-old bus driver and musician , faces charges of rape and kidnapping in connection with the prolonged captivity of the women . According to initial police reports , the women told investigators that they were chained in the basement of the home , but later moved upstairs to rooms on the second floor . They were allowed out of the home only twice , and then just briefly , according to the document . How the horror unfolded . Watch Piers Morgan Live weeknights 9 p.m . ET . For the latest from Piers Morgan click here .
Monica Stephens never wanted to get close to Ariel Castro . She said her ex-husband , ex-mother-in-law shared disturbing stories about him . During her marriage she did make a visit to Castro 's home .