Waterbury, CT — A Waterbury woman is accused of imprisoning her stepson for more than two decades, providing him with little food and water, authorities said.
The 32-year-old man set fire to his home last month in a desperate bid for freedom, leading to an investigation that uncovered years of alleged abuse.
“I wanted my freedom,” the man told first responders after police said he intentionally started the fire in his upstairs bedroom on Feb. 17.
Firefighters responded to the home on Blake Street at 8:42 p.m. and quickly extinguished the flames.
Kimberly Sullivan, 56, escaped unharmed, but her stepson remained inside. Rescuers pulled him from the burning home, and emergency personnel treated him for smoke inhalation and fire exposure.
While receiving medical care, the man claimed Sullivan had held him captive since he was about 11 years old.
Authorities launched an investigation and said they found evidence of “prolonged abuse, starvation, severe neglect and inhumane treatment.”
Prosecutors said the victim, now 5-foot-9, weighed just 68 pounds when he was found. “He was hungry every day of his life,” they said.
Sullivan was arrested Wednesday after police obtained a warrant. She faces multiple charges, including first-degree assault, second-degree kidnapping, and first-degree unlawful restraint.
Her bond was set at $300,000, and she was arraigned the same day.
According to prosecutors, Sullivan confined her stepson to an eight-foot-by-nine-foot room without heat or air conditioning since he was in fourth grade. He allegedly set the fire using hand sanitizer and printer paper in an attempt to escape.
Sullivan’s attorney, Ioannis Kaloidis, denied the allegations. “She completely maintains her innocence,” he said. “She was blown away when she heard these allegations.”
“She did not restrain him in any way,” Kaloidis added. “She provided food, she provided shelter.”
He also claimed Sullivan’s husband dictated how his son was raised. “We think as the evidence comes out, you’ll see that she’s not the villain she’s being made out to be,” he said.
Sullivan’s next court date is set for March 26.
