Kimberly Sullivan, a 56-year-old resident of Waterbury, Connecticut, has been arrested amid shocking allegations that she held her stepson captive for nearly two decades. Police took Sullivan into custody on Thursday as she faces numerous charges, including assault in the first degree, kidnapping in the second degree, unlawful restraint in the first degree, cruelty to persons, and reckless endangerment in the first degree. She is currently being held on a $300,000 bond but has denied all accusations against her.
Sullivan's lawyer, Ioannis Kaloidis, stated that she was "blown away" by the allegations when informed of them.
“She completely maintains her innocence, from our perspective. These allegations are not true. They are outlandish. She was blown away when she heard these allegations,” said Ioannis Kaloidis.
The allegations came to light following a house fire on February 17, during which her stepson was discovered. The man, who claims to have been held captive since he was 11 years old, told police that his situation deteriorated significantly after the death of his father in 2024. He alleged that he was confined to his room for 22 to 24 hours each day and resorted to sneaking out at night for food and drinking from the toilet due to insufficient water supply.
In interviews with the police, the man recounted memories of being locked in his bedroom as early as three years old. He claimed he had been essentially kept a secret for the majority of his life.
“I have been kept a secret my entire life,” expressed the victim.
Waterbury Police Chief Fernando Spagnolo elaborated on the disturbing conditions uncovered during their investigation. The police chief described Sullivan's residence environment as worse than a jail cell and detailed how the victim adapted to his confinement.
“In 33 years of law enforcement, this is the worst treatment of humanity that I’ve ever witnessed … It was worse than the conditions of a jail cell,” said Fernando Spagnolo.
The investigation commenced after social workers from Connecticut's Department of Children and Families responded to two wellness checks at Sullivan’s home. These checks were prompted by reports from the school about Sullivan's absenteeism. During the investigation, police discovered that security measures on the locks had increased progressively over time.
“As we explained during an interview with the victim, throughout the years, it appeared that the locks increased in security levels as time progressed,” Spagnolo added.