Waterbury Woman Accused of Keeping Stepson Captive For 20 Years: PD

WATERBURY, CT — A 32-year-old man weighed just 68 pounds when he set his house on fire last month to escape 20 years of being kept prisoner by his stepmother, according to police.

Police on Thursday provided new details into Wednesday’s arrest of Kimberly Sullivan, 56, of Blake Street.

Police have charged Sullivan with first-degree assault, second-degree kidnapping, first-degree unlawful restraint, cruelty to persons and first-degree reckless endangerment.

Police Chief Fernando Spagnolo said the victim endured “heartbreaking and unimaginable” suffering for more than 20 years.

“In my 33 years in law enforcement, this is the worst treatment of humanity that I have ever witnessed,” Spagnolo said, during a press conference.

Authorities first became aware of the situation on Feb. 17. Around 8:42 p.m., police and firefighters responded to a fire at Sullivan’s house, at 2 Blake St., which firefighters quickly extinguished.

Police said two occupants were in the house at the time, including Sullivan and her 32-year-old stepson.

Sullivan was able to escape the house fire safely. The male occupant remained inside, but firefighters helped him out. He suffered smoke inhalation and exposure to the fire, police said.

While he was receiving medical care, the man told first responders he intentionally set the fire with a lighter, hand sanitizer and paper in his upstairs room, stating, “I wanted my freedom,” police said.

The man told police Sullivan had been holding him captive in the house since he was about 11 years old. Based on the man’s statements, the police department’s Major Crimes Unit launched an investigation in collaboration with the Waterbury State’s Attorney’s Office.

According to police, detectives determined the man had been held in captivity for over 20 years, “enduring prolonged abuse, starvation, severe neglect, and inhumane treatment.”

Police discovered the man’s room had exterior locks on it, Spagnolo said.

Police said the man was found in a “severely emaciated” condition, and he had not received any medical or dental care. He was given minimal amounts of food and water, which led to his malnourished condition, according to police. In February, the man was 5’9 and 68 pounds, according to police. He has ongoing mental and physical health issues due to his ordeal, police said.

“We conducted interviews and dug up information that corroborated the victim’s story,” Spagnolo said.

The room where the man was kept was very small, he said.

“It was worse than the conditions of a jail cell,” Spagnolo said.

Police had been at the house two decades ago, in 2005, for a welfare check, and at the time, the house appeared to be clean and nothing appeared to be wrong, according to Spagnolo.

The man’s biological father is deceased, and his biological mother has not been involved in his life since he was a young child, police said.

According to police, Sullivan initially told them her stepson was allowed to roam the house at will. Police said she later refused to cooperate with their investigation.

Sullivan’s defense attorney denied the accusations in court, asserting that Sullivan never locked the man up in a room, and claiming he was provided adequate food and shelter, WFSB reported.

The police investigation is ongoing, and police are working with both local school officials and the state Department of Children and Families on the case, according to police.

Sullivan was arraigned in Superior Court, and she is being held on $300,000 bond. She is currently in custody at York Correctional Institution in Niantic, according to the state Department of Correction.

Read the warrant at WFSB.com.