Woman accused of holding stepson captive for 20 years pleads not guilty

A Waterbury, Connecticut woman, Kimberly Sullivan, has pleaded not guilty to charges of kidnapping, felony assault, and cruelty related to allegedly holding her stepson captive for two decades. Sullivan, 56, made her court appearance as part of proceedings initiated on Wednesday, where she opted for a jury trial. The judge ordered that she be fitted with a GPS tracking bracelet, although she will not face house arrest.

The victim, now 32 years old, was rescued last month after he set fire to his surroundings to attract first responders. Body camera footage from the rescue shows him being carried out by a firefighter. At the time of his rescue, he was severely malnourished, weighing only 69 pounds and having been confined to a small room without proper heating or air conditioning since he was approximately 11 years old.

In 2005, Waterbury Police and Children's Services conducted a welfare check when the victim stopped attending school, but no irregularities were found at that time. Subsequently, it was revealed that he had been begging classmates for food and scavenging from garbage bins. The victim reported that he was only permitted limited access outside his room for chores and that conditions worsened significantly after his father's death last year.

The victim’s biological mother, Tracy Vallerand, has stated that she has not seen her son since he was an infant and expressed regret for giving up custody, believing it was in his best interest at the time. Meanwhile, he has been recuperating at an undisclosed location, but visits from his biological family have been barred due to the ongoing investigation.

Sullivan's next court date is scheduled for April 22nd, as the legal proceedings continue to unfold in this distressing case.