Woman allegedly held stepson captive for 20 years before he set fire to free himself

WATERBURY, Conn. (TCN) -- A 56-year-old woman is facing multiple charges for allegedly holding her stepson captive in her home for 20 years and subjecting him to malnutrition and "inhumane treatment."

According to a statement, on Feb. 17, the Waterbury police and fire departments responded to a fire at a home on Blake Street, which was extinguished quickly. Kimberly Sullivan exited the home safely, but the fire department located a 32-year-old male inside suffering from smoke inhalation and fire exposure. Medics transported him to a hospital, where he reportedly revealed that he set the fire himself because he "wanted my freedom."

He claimed he had been locked in the home since he was 11 years old.

Detectives began investigating the claims and learned the victim "had been held in captivity for over 20 years, enduring prolonged abuse, starvation, severe neglect, and inhumane treatment." He was in a "severely emaciated condition" and was not given any medical or dental treatment during that time. Sullivan allegedly only provided "minimal amounts of food and water."

The Waterbury Police Department arrested Sullivan on March 12 on charges of first-degree assault, second-degree kidnapping, first-degree unlawful restraint, cruelty to persons, and first-degree reckless endangerment.

Waterbury Police Chief Fernando Spagnolo said in a news conference that firefighters "immediately realized there were some grave concerns about some of the conditions in the house" when they responded. Police learned about two incidents regarding the family in 2005, but when DCFS went to check on the victim, the house reportedly appeared clean and there was "no cause for alarm at the time."

The victim’s biological father died in January 2024, and other siblings no longer live in the home. His biological mother was never involved in his life. Spagnolo said it was a "very controlling situation regarding the victim’s condition, his whereabouts, his connections with other family members" and that information "was very guarded."

Spagnolo explained, "There was a level of fear of retaliation on what would occur if information was released or help was provided to the victim by family members."

According to Spagnolo, the victim is 5-foot-9 but weighed only 68 pounds. He described the conditions of the victim’s room as "worse than a jail cell."

Spagnolo called this case the "worst treatment of humanity that I’ve ever witnessed."

WFSB-TV reports Sullivan’s attorney argued the allegations are "absolutely not true." He continued, "He was not locked in a room. She did not restrain him in any way. She provided food and she provided shelter and she was blown away by these allegations. Absolutely not."

Prosecutors reportedly said in court the victim started the fire with hand sanitizer and printer paper "knowing he could die, but he had been locked in the room for 20 years, and for 20 years he’d been trying to get out of that room."

The victim was described as "akin to a survivor of Auschwitz’s death camp."

Spagnolo said at the press conference that the victim has "a lot of healing" to do, both mentally and physically, but the department is continuing to support him.

Waterbury Mayor Paul Pernerewski Jr. said, "It’s truly horrifying and beyond comprehension what occurred."

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