(VitalNews.org) – In a horrifying case of domestic abuse, a woman in Connecticut held captive her stepson for over 20 years, starting when he was just 11 years old.
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Kimberly Sullivan’s stepson was discovered weighing only 68 pounds after setting a desperate fire to escape his prison.
The victim, now 32, was found in a condition that Waterbury Police Chief Fernando Spagnolo described as “the worst treatment of humanity that I’ve ever witnessed” in his 33 years of law enforcement.
When discovered, the man had a body mass index of just 11, far below the healthy range, and his appearance was compared to that of a survivor from Auschwitz’s death camp.
Sullivan has been charged with kidnapping, assault, unlawful restraint, cruelty to persons, and reckless endangerment.
She is currently held on a $300,000 bond while her attorney claims she is “blown away by these allegations.”
The stepmother denies wrongdoing, with her lawyer asserting “she provided food; she provided shelter” and did not restrain the victim.
According to police reports, the room where the man was imprisoned had multiple exterior locks that increased in security over time.
The victim had been denied medical and dental care during his entire captivity and was only allowed out of his room for supervised chores, receiving minimal food and water throughout his ordeal.
When asked why he set the fire that ultimately led to his rescue, the victim simply stated, “I wanted my freedom.”
This desperate act involved lighting hand sanitizer and paper, risking his own life for a chance at escape after decades of imprisonment.
Perhaps most disturbing is that government officials had a chance to intervene years earlier.
Police had previously visited the home in 2005 after school officials expressed concerns about the child’s absence, but they found no cause for alarm.
Sullivan’s attorney, Ioannis Kaloidis, continues to claim innocence on behalf of his client, stating, “What she indicated to me was that they were absolutely not true, and as we get more information we intend to put up a vigorous defense.”
The investigation remains ongoing, with more details expected to emerge as the case proceeds through the legal system.
Ultimately, this case highlights the critical need for stronger oversight of vulnerable children, especially when they disappear from public school systems.
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