A Connecticut mother allegedly held her severely emaciated stepson in captivity for decades in “something out of a horror movie” before he set a fire in their home to escape the “inhumane” and hellish conditions, authorities said.
Kimberly Sullivan, 56, was arrested Wednesday and charged in the unthinkable crime about a month after the shocking living arrangement was uncovered when the blaze erupted at the family’s Waterbury house, according to police.
Sullivan fled the home and her 32-year-old stepson was later pulled out by firefighters on Feb. 17. As he received treatment for smoke inhalation and exposure to flames, he told first responders he set the fire intentionally in his upstairs bedroom.
“I wanted my freedom,” he said, explaining that he was held captive since he was about 11 years old, cops said.
The explosive claims launched a probe by police and the Waterbury State’s Attorney’s Office, which found the victim was imprisoned for more than 20 years and was starved, abused, neglected and faced “inhumane treatment” during that time, police alleged.
The victim was emaciated and hadn’t received any medical checkups or dental care in years, cops said.
He told authorities when he was a little boy living with Sullivan, his father and siblings, he even drank out of a toilet bowl at times because he only got two cups of water per day, according to a warrant affidavit obtained by WFSB.
He also claimed to steal food from others and even ate out of the garbage due to his hunger in elementary school before he was pulled out, the docs state.
As a teenager and into adulthood, the victim said he was forced to use bottles and newspapers when he wanted to use the bathroom, according to the affidavit.
“The facts of this case, quite frankly, the facts are something out of a horror movie,” Supervisory Assistant State’s Attorney Don Therkildsen said, according to CT Insider. “That’s without exaggeration.”
He added that the victim lit the fire “knowing he very well could have died.”
But an attorney for Sullivan denied the charges in an interview Wednesday night.
“The allegations are horrific, but they are simply that: allegations,” attorney Ioannis Kaloidis said. “They’re allegations made by one person that are largely uncorroborated by any independent evidence.”
Waterbury police released a photo of Sullivan in handcuffs wearing a cross necklace as she was sandwiched between two investigators Wednesday following her arrest.
She’s charged with first-degree assault, second-degree kidnapping, first-degree unlawful restraint, cruelty to persons and first-degree reckless endangerment.
“The suffering this victim endured for over 20 years is both heartbreaking and unimaginable,” Waterbury police chief Fernando Spagnolo said in a statement.
But Sullivan’s lawyer said when he read the list of accusations to his client, “she was blown away, she was stunned by what is being said.”
“She is innocent and she has every intention of defending this case and we are confident she will be vindicated,” Kaloidis added.
He said there was food in the house and was not locked in a room, he argued.
“Does he have health issues? I’m sure he does. But she’s the stepmom, there was a biological father that was responsible for his care, who dictated his care,” the lawyer said, noting the father died last year.
A judge set Sullivan’s bond at $300,000, which Kaloidis said would likely be posted as soon as Thursday.
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