Midday Roundup: No aborted babies found at Cleveland captor's house

Missed opportunities? Cleveland investigators did not find any human remains at the house where three women spent the last 10 years in captivity. Investigators said they were looking for the bodies of babies possibly aborted while the women were being held. One of the victims, Amanda Berry, had a daughter conceived with one of her captors. The girl is now 6 years old. Several neighbors said on Tuesday they saw suspicious activity around the house during the last decade and reported what they saw to police. But on Wednesday, Cleveland Police Chief Michael McGrath said his department has no record of those calls ever being made. McGrath denied the police had missed chances to rescue the women, although at least one investigation of homeowner Ariel Castro, 52, went nowhere. Child Protective Services paid a visit to the house after Castro, a school bus driver, left a child on a bus while he stopped for lunch. When no one answered the door, the investigation was closed.

Sanford reborn. Former South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford won his bid to regain his old seat in Congress on Tuesday, beating Democratic challenger Elizabeth Colbert Busch by a wider-than-predicted margin. Despite leaving the state’s top office after a sex scandal and messy divorce, Sanford was an early favorite for the seat until his ex-wife accused him of trespassing. Jenny Sanford’s accusation and the ensuing hearing caused the National Republican Congressional Committee to withdraw its support in mid-April. Polls leading up to the election showed Sanford neck and neck with Busch, a surprise in the staunchly conservative district. At his victory party, Sanford thanked God, the angels, and “human” grace. "I just want to acknowledge a God not just of second chances, but of third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth chances … because that's the reality of our shared humanity," he said.

Insane? James Holmes, the man accused of killing 12 and injuring 70 in an attack on a movie theater in Aurora, Colo., will plead not guilty by reason of insanity. Lawyers announced their intention in court documents filed Tuesday. Holmes previously entered a not guilty plea. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty in the case. Holmes initially offered to plead guilty to avoid the death penalty, but his attorneys were expected to encourage him to take his chances at trial.

Apprehended. European police have arrested 33 people in connection with a diamond heist at the Brussels Airport in February. The gang made off with $50 million in rough and polished diamonds during the well-executed operation. Some of the stones were recovered this week. The arrests span three countries—Belguim, Switzerland, and France. Investigators found some of the diamonds in Switzerland and money in all three locations. They also discovered luxury cars in Belgium. During the heist, eight masked and heavily armed men burst through a hole in the airport’s perimeter fence. They drove in two vehicles to where a Zurich-bound plane sat on the tarmac. After quickly removing the diamonds from the aircraft’s hold, they drove off the same way they came.

Do me a solid. Former professional basketball player Dennis Rodman is now playing at international diplomacy. Just a few months after his much-maligned visit to North Korea, where he enjoyed some one-on-one time with dictator Kim Jung-Un, Rodman is asking his buddy to do him “a solid” and release American Christian Kenneth Bae. Rodman made the request via Twitter, so it probably won’t carry the same weight as a visit from a prestigious American, the whole point, many speculate, of Bae’s captivity. Kim’s father, Kim Jung-Il agreed to release two American women held several years ago after former President Bill Clinton traveled to North Korea to plead for their freedom.