[Burning house, Photo Credit to Pixabay]

A Waterbury woman named Kimberly Sullivan has been accused of locking her emaciated stepson in a small, unheated room for nearly two decades. 

The disturbing allegations came to light after a fire broke out in a Waterbury home on February 17, leading to the rescue of a man now identified in court documents as “Male Victim 1.” 

Authorities encountered the man in an ambulance, where he was being treated for smoke inhalation.

While receiving medical care, the man confessed to deliberately setting the fire in his upstairs bedroom, stating, “I wanted my freedom.” 

His statement led to an investigation in which the police revealed that the victim had been held in captivity for more than 20 years. 

According to police, the victim had been subjected to “prolonged abuse, starvation, severe neglect, and inhumane treatment.”

The physical toll was evident: standing 5-foot-9, the man weighed just 68 pounds and looked severely malnourished. 

Now, Sullivan is charged with first degree assault, second degree kidnapping, first degree unlawful restraint, and fire degree cruelty to persons, and reckless endangerment. 

Police allege she confined her stepson to a tiny 8-foot-by-9-foot room without heat or air conditioning since he was in fourth grade—nearly 20 years ago. 

The victim’s statements have deeply unsettled the public.

He told investigators he had been locked in a bedroom since the age of 3.

He recalls that when he was hungry, he would sneak out of his room at night for food and drinks, only to be punished when the wrappers were found.

More shockingly, he described drinking from the toilet due to chronic dehydration and hunger. 

Cut off from formal education, the victim became self-taught, reportedly learning from dictionaries after being unrolled from Waterbury Public Schools in 2004, according to Superintendent Darren Schwartz.

After his unenrollment, the police had visited his home twice; first in 2004 at the department’s request because children who knew the boy had not seen him. 

Waterbury Police Chief Fred Spagnolo, who took the helm of the department in 2018, said that during those visits,  “the house was clean, it was lived in.”

Officers found nothing suspicious and reported that the boy appeared to be living a “normal childhood.” 

In reality, the truth was completely different.

The man said he was only let outside his room everyday around 8 a.m to do his chores that lasted from 15 minutes to 2 hours.

In a second police visit, family members filed a harassment complaint against school officials who had reported ongoing concerns.

The victim told authorities that the last time he left the property was at age 14 or 15, when he helped his father dispose of yard waste. 

Although other family members had also been concerned about the boy’s situation, fearing backlash, they failed to speak out.

His uncle, for instance, has not seen or contacted him since the early 2000s.

His only connection to the outside world was his radio, which he used to track time and stay informed.

Sullivan’s claim to the unfolding of the situation, however, is a totally different story. 

She denies all allegations and claims to be “completely shocked.”

She has asserted that she never locked her stepson in a room or restrained him, insisting she provided food and shelter.

She described the accusations as false and deeply upsetting.

Sullivan is scheduled to appear in court on March 26, 2025.