The man — whose identity remains undisclosed — was found confined in a cramped room.
A Connecticut woman now faces grave charges, including assault, kidnapping, and unlawful imprisonment, after authorities discovered a 32-year-old man locked inside a small room in her residence last month.
Emergency responders rushed to a home in Waterbury, Connecticut, after the man intentionally started a fire in a desperate bid to escape. He alleges that his stepmother, Kimberly Sullivan, had held him captive since he was just 11 years old.
Upon discovery, he was in a severely weakened state, suffering from extreme malnutrition and looking alarmingly emaciated. Investigators suspect he had been deprived of medical and dental care for more than two decades.
As per his account, he was only permitted to leave the cramped room to carry out household chores for Sullivan. His daily nourishment reportedly consisted of just two sandwiches and two cups of water.
On Thursday (March 13), authorities officially charged Sullivan with several crimes, including assault, kidnapping, unlawful imprisonment, reckless endangerment, and cruelty to persons.
Meanwhile, the man, whose identity has not been disclosed, is now receiving medical care at a specialized facility.
He recalls that in his early years, he often had to scavenge for food from school trash bins to survive. His education was abruptly cut short when he was withdrawn from school in the fourth grade.
After that incident, he was never seen again, despite repeated calls to child protective services by school principal Tom Pannone.
Pannone shared with NBC News: “We knew something was wrong. We reported it. But nothing was done—absolutely nothing.”
“Everyone was deeply concerned about this child from the time he was five years old. You could tell something wasn’t right. It was glaringly obvious.”
“A 10-year-old doesn’t just vanish without a trace.”
Following the boy’s disappearance from school, Pannone was initially told the child had been transferred to another school. Later, he was informed that the boy was allegedly being homeschooled.
Sullivan has been chargedWaterbury Police Department
Meanwhile, Waterbury Police Chief Fernando Spagnolo addressed the harrowing case, stating, “The suffering this victim endured for over 20 years is both heartbreaking and unimaginable.”
During the execution of a search warrant, authorities found a slide bolt lock installed on the outside of the room’s door, further reinforcing allegations that he had been forcibly confined.
As the chilling details came to light, neighbors reacted with shock and disbelief, struggling to grasp the horrific reality unfolding in their own community.
“We probably saw that guy outside maybe three times,” one neighbor told NBC.
“I’m shaking just thinking about it because I can still picture his face.”
“Never saw a stepson, not once,” another neighbor added.
Firefighters were called to the house in ConnecticutCBS
Meanwhile, Sullivan’s lawyer, Ioannis Kaloidis, spoke in her defense, arguing that she is being unfairly depicted.
“She’s not the villain everyone is making her out to be,” he stated.
“He was never locked in a room. She did not restrain him in any way. She provided food, she provided shelter. These accusations have completely shocked her.”
Sullivan is set to return to court at the end of the month, where further details about the case are expected to emerge.
