A man says his stepmom locked him in a room for decades. He escaped by setting a fire [View all]

After firefighters responded to a fire at a Connecticut home last month, one of its occupants revealed that they hadn't only rescued him from the burning house — but from two decades of captivity.

The 32-year-old man, who has not been publicly named, is accusing his stepmother of keeping him locked inside a room in their Waterbury home — with minimal food and water, and no access to medical care, dental care or a bathroom — from the time he was approximately 11 years old.

Later, while receiving medical treatment, he told authorities that he had used hand sanitizer, printer paper and a lighter to set the fire in his upstairs bedroom to escape.

"I wanted my freedom," he told first responders, according to the Waterbury Police Department.

Waterbury police announced Wednesday that an investigation by their major crimes unit, in collaboration with the Waterbury State's Attorney's Office, determined that the victim "had been held in captivity for over 20 years, enduring prolonged abuse, starvation, severe neglect, and inhumane treatment."

"The suffering this victim endured for over 20 years is both heartbreaking and unimaginable," Waterbury Police Chief Fernando Spagnolo said in a statement, crediting law enforcement with making sure "the perpetrator is held fully accountable for these horrific crimes."

Police said they arrested the man's stepmother, Kimberly Sullivan, on Wednesday on charges of assault, kidnapping, unlawful restraint, cruelty to persons and reckless endangerment.
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Sullivan's stepson was rescued from the Feb. 17 blaze "in a severely emaciated condition," according to police.

Medical records show he weighed just 68.7 pounds, which, at his height of 5 feet 9 inches, is considered life-threatening, according to a police affidavit and arrest warrant that was filed in state superior court and obtained by NPR.

https://www.npr.org/2025/03/13/nx-s1-5327122/connecticut-captive-stepmom-house-fire

Go to the story and look at the picture. You will note that the hypocrite perp is wearing a large cross. Of course.