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

A Connecticut man has raised concerns about his stepmother, Kimberly Sullivan, being free while he endured two decades of captivity in their home. During a court hearing in Waterbury, state prosecutor Don Therkildsen expressed the victim's fear, emphasizing that he questioned why Sullivan was not in custody awaiting trial. Sullivan, 57, faces serious charges, including kidnapping and felony assault, and is currently under electronic monitoring after posting a $300,000 bail.

Sullivan's attorney, Ioannis Kaloidis, countered the prosecutor’s request for house arrest, asserting that his client has adhered to bail conditions and that threats against her have been made. He argued that confining Sullivan to one location for house arrest could pose a risk to her safety. Meanwhile, the victim, now 32, was rescued after setting a fire in their home as a desperate act to escape his long-term imprisonment, where he was reportedly restricted to a small room with minimal food and water.

When rescued, the man weighed only 69 pounds and was emaciated due to malnutrition, having been locked away for most of his childhood. He recounted that he was confined with limited freedom and that his father, who died last year, occasionally allowed him more time outside his cell. Concerns for the victim’s wellbeing had previously been raised by educators, but the situation was not adequately addressed by authorities.

There have been investigations into how this prolonged abuse was allowed to occur, with calls for stricter oversight of homeschooling practices. Reports indicate that the Waterbury police had visited the Sullivan home in the past, but found no grounds for concern. Additionally, the Department of Children and Families (DCF) has been scrutinized for their handling of the case, as the victim reported being coerced into telling authorities that everything was fine at home under threats from Sullivan.

Recently, DCF announced that they found some records related to the family and are in the process of reviewing them. This discovery could provide more insight into the circumstances surrounding the victim's neglect and the alleged abuses. As investigations continue, the community is left grappling with how such egregious misconduct could have gone unnoticed for so long.