A man who was held captive by his stepmother for more than 20 years in Waterbury, Connecticut, escaped by setting fire to the house, police said at a news conference on Thursday.
On Feb. 17, the 32-year-old set fire to his room using paper, a lighter, and hand sanitizer, according to the CT Post.
The man, who remains anonymous, later told police his stepmother had held him captive since he was 11 years old.
“I wanted my freedom,” the man told EMTs treating him for smoke inhalation, admitting he started the blaze to escape.
“The facts of this case, quite frankly, are something out of a horror movie. That’s without exaggeration,” Supervisory Assistant State’s Attorney Don Therkildsen said.
“He lit that fire knowing he very well could have died,” Therkildsen said.
The man’s stepmother was 56-year-old Kimberly Sullivan, who was arrested Wednesday and faces numerous charges: first-degree assault, second-degree kidnapping, first-degree unlawful restraint, cruelty to persons, and first-degree reckless endangerment, according to WFSB-TV in Connecticut.
Sullivan denied that she locked the man in his room and said that he was free to move about the house.
“Absolutely shocked, okay? Absolutely appalled by these allegations, absolutely shocked,” Jason Spilka, Sullivan’s defense attorney, reacted.
“She has denied all of these allegations, extremely strongly and adamantly. But on top of that, all of these allegations speak to one specific complainant. So, these allegations, there is not threat to the whole public.”
But police noticed a slide lock on the outside of the door frame, which could have been used to lock the door from the outside, according to the CT Post.
The room the man lived in measured 8 feet by 9 feet, according to WFSB-TV.
He was reportedly pulled from school when he was in the fourth grade. Once captive, he was only allowed to leave his room to do chores and let the dog out.
The man told police he avoided breaking out sooner. A failed attempt would mean increasingly limited rations of food, water, and space.
He didn’t have contact with anyone from the outside world, but certain family members knew of his bleak existence, including his now-deceased stepfather, two half sisters, and now-deceased grandmother.
The day of his escape, he weighed a skeletal 68 lbs.
“Detectives determined that the victim had been held in captivity for over 20 years, enduring prolonged abuse, starvation, severe neglect, and inhumane treatment,” police said. “He was found in a severely emaciated condition and had not received medical or dental care during this time.”
Kimberly Sullivan, 56, is accused of holding her 32 year-old stepson captive since he was 11 according to the Waterbury Police Department in Connecticut.
The man lit a fire, knowing that he might die, trying to get attention so he could escape.
At the time of his rescue, the… pic.twitter.com/F12TkewZzf
— Art Candee 🍿🥤 (@ArtCandee) March 13, 2025
Police said Sullivan was arraigned in court on Wednesday, and her bond was set at $300,000, according to WFSB-TV.
She has since been released on bail.
The man is receiving continued medical attention.
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