Man held captive for 20 years asks prosecutors why stepmother is free after being charged

A Connecticut man, who claims his stepmother held him captive for two decades, questioned why she is not in jail while awaiting trial. This inquiry was raised during a court hearing in Waterbury for 57-year-old Kimberly Sullivan, who has pleaded not guilty to charges including kidnapping and felony assault. State prosecutor Don Therkildsen expressed concerns for the victim's safety and asked for house arrest after Sullivan posted a $300,000 bail following her arrest on March 12.

The captive, now 32 years old, revealed he had been kept in a small room, deprived of proper nutrition, resulting in him weighing only 69 pounds when he was found. During the court proceedings, Therkildsen highlighted the victim's fear, noting his first question was about why Sullivan was free while he endured such severe conditions.

Sullivan's attorney, Ioannis Kaloidis, contested the request for house arrest, claiming his client has adhered to all bail conditions and expressing concerns about her safety due to threats made against her. He argued that restricting her to a single location could escalate the danger.

The man's plight came to light when he set fire to their home in an attempt to escape. After being rescued, he disclosed that he had been confined to the room with limited freedom since he was around 11, with his father allowing longer periods of release before his passing last year. Authorities have now initiated investigations into how this situation persisted for so long, with scrutiny on the oversight of home-schooling practices.

Concerns about the man's well-being had previously been raised by school officials, yet authorities had visited the Sullivan residence in 2005 without taking further action. Recent statements from the Department of Children and Families noted they are reviewing archived records related to the case, with plans to share findings with law enforcement and investigators.