CT - 32-year-old man held captive by stepmother Kimberly Sullivan since age 11, weighs 68 lbs, sets fire to home to escape, 17 Feb 2025

[rleigh123]

On Friday, the Department of Children and Families issued a statement saying they’ve found documents related to the Waterbury man who alleges he was held captive for decades…


They noted state regulations dictated reports of neglect and abuse found unsubstantiated after investigation are expunged after five years if there are no other substantiated reports.

However, on Friday they said they were able to locate records in a different search, this time of their Closed Records.


“We have met with the Waterbury Police Department and engaged in discussions with the Office of the Child Advocate to advise them of our actions and will provide them a copy of the records once we have completed our search and review of them. Several meetings have also been held with bipartisan Legislators,” DCF Commissioner Jodi Hill-Lilly said.


After completing their assessment of the department prior involvement with the family, DCF plans to “be as transparent as possible” with the public, while also adhering to state and federal confidentiality laws.

https://www.wtnh.com/news/connecticut/hartford/dcf-finds-documents-related-to-alleged-waterbury-captive/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook_WTNH_News_8&fbclid=IwY2xjawJTxchleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHXPrcLshunuUmW8rRlQ14L2DdlsKZEmV6jMlnmcOF04r52qYZnYAazGlwA_aem_Uvo7w2xvw0hXs2sVTAJvIg

BIU by me.

IMO


Yeah I know this is the way it has to be done and I'm glad they're doing it.


But if you're a part of this forum you most likely know that these words do not reassure, and why that is.


IMO

 

[musicaljoke]

I hear you and I’m equally frustrated. We have this discussion on every one of these cases. I particularly remember the Hart Family who drove off a cliff into the ocean with their adopted kids rather than face CPS.

My point is that none of the entities or individuals who were concerned in this case had the legal right to enter the home and they didn’t have evidence to get a search warrant. Had someone pushed harder there is a possibility he would have been killed. We don’t know.

I wish all these cases like the Harts and the Turpins and this one could have been resolved sooner or totally prevented. The awful reality is that they can’t because (so far) we are a nation of legal protections like search warrants. I’m not complacent about these cases. But I don’t see viable preventions or rescues being possible in most of them that are this bad. Now my hope is for this young man to receive help so he can have a relatively normal and happy life.

JMO

Police can enter a home without a search warrant if they believe someone inside in in danger.

 

[Smelly Squirrel]

Friday's hearing.

 

[Smelly Squirrel]

Friend of Connecticut woman, accused of imprisoning stepson, says she never mentioned him for 21 years

Kimberly Sullivan, 56, pleaded not guilty on Friday to charges after prosecutors allege she kept her stepson a prisoner in their home.

www.nbcnews.com

"A friend of the defendant's of 21 years has come forward and provided a written statement to the state, to the police that in the 21 years she's known this defendant, she's never spoken of a stepson, " Assistant State’s Attorney Donald Therkildsen told the court on Friday, adding that since police arrested Sullivan, more witnesses have reached out.

Therkildsen added: "She was shocked to learn she had a stepson, and that that friend was never allowed in this house."
......
Therkildsen asked Superior Court Judge Joseph Schwartz to put Sullivan under house arrest, arguing that her alleged victim lives in fear, knowing she had free movement.

"His first question in this fear is, 'Why is she out walking around while I was locked up in her room for 20 years?' " Therkildsen said.

 

[Izzylizzy]

To me this looks like a sign that the victim is well enough to begin being involved in the case the state has filed against KS and that is a very good sign.

I believe that the victim being able to talk to someone who has the authority and is on the road trying to get justice for his years of torture would help with his mind, body and soul's healing process,
IMO:

"This victim is afraid. This victim lives in fear,” Donald Therkildsen, the supervisory assistant state’s attorney, said in court on Friday morning. "I introduced myself to the victim, explained who I was. His first question in this fear is, 'Why is she out walking around when I was locked up in a room for 20 years?”

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

Judge Joseph Schwartz said he decided that GPS monitoring was appropriate given her mental health conditions and the lack of a permanent residence since she is living with her children. This appearance came after Sullivan made a brief court appearance on Wednesday morning that lasted only 50...

www.nbcconnecticut.com

 

[Izzylizzy]

Can the records from whoever KS spoke with from the mental health /hospital when she was admitted be subpoenaed by the state and/or the therapist/doctor called as a witness if this goes to trial?

I'm on team KS that she's only concerned about herself, no home, no money, no community rallying to her defense and very likely facings years in prison and not her decades of torturous abuse to a child/adult.

I suspect that if she continues therapy she'll somehow emerge as being a victim herself and if this goes to trial her attorney will tell the jury all about it.

IMO

"The judge defended his decision, citing the fact that Sullivan has no permanent residence, has been admitted to a hospital since her arrest for mental health reasons, has no prior criminal record and has not failed to appear in court as reasons why house arrest is not necessary."

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

Judge orders GPS monitoring for a woman accused of imprisoning her stepson for two decades

www.wmur.com

 

[arielilane]

For 14 years, Heather Tessman had looked for her half-brother, whom she’d last seen as a young child in the 1990s, yet nothing turned up in internet and public records searches beyond the fact he’d been born.

Family seeks reunion with man who says he was held captive by stepmom

On Friday, Kimberly Sullivan pleaded not guilty to the charges. She's accused of holding her stepson captive for 20 years.

www.courttv.com

3/28/2025

 

[Izzylizzy]

Friday's hearing.

Thank you for the entire hearing.

Judge:
"considering the seriousness of her specific mental health conditions".

Who informs the judge of this?

Does the judge have her medical records from when she was admitted to the hospital for mental health?

Does anyone here know?

 

[keek]

Thank you for the entire hearing.

Judge:
"considering the seriousness of her specific mental health conditions".

Who informs the judge of this?

Does the judge have her medical records from when she was admitted to the hospital for mental health?

Does anyone here know

He was probably given her medical records, at least starting with her need for mental health hospitalization. I can imagine why, what she said, and it would of been about herself, her poor self.

 

[Chimera]

He was probably given her medical records, at least starting with her need for mental health hospitalization. I can imagine why, what she said, and it would of been about herself, her poor self.

Bbm.
That just irks me.

Hunger alone is a terrible torture.
Not to mention the confinement and forced to dispose of his own waste.
Prison camp-like conditions.
Omo.

 

[Luna20]

Bbm.
That just irks me.

Hunger alone is a terrible torture.
Not to mention the confinement and forced to dispose of his own waste.
Prison camp-like conditions.
Omo.

Because of the waste there had to be excessive rodent activity which is a concern for infectious disease. He will have health challenges ahead but it sounds like he has determination and a will to live.

Has anything been said about his hygiene? Was he even able to take a shower periodically? Brush his teeth?

 

[Izzylizzy]

KS is now wearing a GPS but I heard nothing from the judge about any restrictions nor have I read anything about them.
Did I miss it?

 

[Izzylizzy]

We now know from KS's lawyer Ioannis Kaloidis that she's living with her 2 daughters.

LE said at presser when her arrest was made public that they will be interviewing everyone who lived in the house and those that knew them.

Did LE speak with the daughters before Kaloidis was retained by KS because if not I can't see him letting the daughters be interviewed w/o lawyers and rightfully so.

My mind continues to wander back to the daughters knowing the abuse their father and mother inflicted upon him, his deplorable living conditions and his shocking physical appearance throughout their lives and they'll never be held accountable .

IMO:

 

[keek]

We now know from KS's lawyer Ioannis Kaloidis that she's living with her 2 daughters.

LE said at presser when her arrest was made public that they will be interviewing everyone who lived in the house and those that knew them.

Did LE speak with the daughters before Kaloidis was retained by KS because if not I can't see him letting the daughters be interviewed w/o lawyers and rightfully so.

My mind continues to wander back to the daughters knowing the abuse their father and mother inflicted upon him, his deplorable living conditions and his shocking physical appearance throughout their lives and they'll never be held accountable .

They might not be legally. Not sure how the law will go about that with them.

 

[Izzylizzy]

They might not be legally. Not sure how the law will go about that with them.

The only saving grace could be if one was a mandated reporter...
Then again I don't know if mandated reporters are only mandated through their work?

IMO

 

[appleatcha]

The only saving grace could be if one was a mandated reporter...
Then again I don't know if mandated reporters are only mandated through their work?

This is a great question. It varies from state to state, so I looked up Connecticut's policy. Here is a snippet from the Connecticut State Department of Children and Families website:

Mandated reporters are required to report or cause a report to be made when, in the ordinary course of their employment or profession, they have reasonable cause to suspect or believe that a child under the age of 18 has been abused, neglected or is placed in imminent risk of serious harm. (Connecticut General Statutes §17a-101a)

Child abuse occurs where a child has had physical injury inflicted upon him or her other than by accidental means, has injuries at variance with history given of them, or is in a condition resulting in maltreatment, such as, but not limited to, malnutrition, sexual molestation or exploitation, deprivation of necessities, emotional maltreatment or cruel punishment. (Connecticut General Statutes §46b-120)

Child neglect occurs where a child has been abandoned, is being denied proper care and attention physically, emotionally, or morally, or is being permitted to live under conditions, circumstances or associations injurious to his well-being. (Connecticut General Statutes §46b-120)

Mandated reporters who, outside the ordinary course of their employment or profession, have reasonable cause to suspect or believe that a child under the age of 18 is in imminent risk of being abused or has been abused or neglected, can and should make a report to the Careline.

(Bolded by me for emphasis.)

It sounds like mandated reporters are required to report reasonable suspicions of abuse/neglect in the course of their employment, but the language for suspicious raised outside of their work is softer ("can and should"). That implies to me that they won't automatically lose their job/license if it isn't work-related, but that isn't entirely clear from any of the information I've found.

 

[Izzylizzy]

This is a great question. It varies from state to state, so I looked up Connecticut's policy. Here is a snippet from the Connecticut State Department of Children and Families website:

(Bolded by me for emphasis.)

It sounds like mandated reporters are required to report reasonable suspicions of abuse/neglect in the course of their employment, but the language for suspicious raised outside of their work is softer ("can and should"). That implies to me that they won't automatically lose their job/license if it isn't work-related, but that isn't entirely clear from any of the information I've found.

I appreciate your finding this, thank you and it seems that even if one was mandated it's a dead end.
We don't know what the victim is telling LE about the sister's roles pertaining to him.

The only other thing I've thought of is in KS's arrest warrant she said that they at some point when he was younger they took the victim to a psychiatrist because he had some mental issues but her now deceased husband didn't believe in doctors so I guess that ended that including medical check-ups.
Blaming the dead husband was her defense.

I was naively hoping for KS to get hit with a superseding indictment for eventually disabling the victim then for years abusing a disabled victim/adult.

When the firefighter found the 32 yr old victim laying in a fetal position on the kitchen floor he thought he was 13-14 yrs old.
IMO

 

[Lilibet]

Police can enter a home without a search warrant if they believe someone inside in in danger.

True. But they have to have evidence of some kind supporting their belief. It can’t be hearsay or rumor. We don’t know if they were ever able to get enough solid evidence that there was a victim in danger. The neighbors didn’t know he was there. His mother and sister didn’t know.

I know we’d all like this young man to have been rescued earlier. But the law is the law. The law preventing police from barging into a home for a “welfare check” based on rumor is a law that protects all of us, even though it didn’t help this young man. It’s not a perfect system, but I doubt most of us would want LE to have illegal access to our homes, even if we had “nothing to hide.”

My husband and I were the victims of a search for marijuana in our home back in 1969. The warrant was based on our neighbor listening in to a phone (party line) conversation I had that she misinterpreted to LE. The half dozen sheriffs literally tore our house apart. It was a mess and a horrible experience. This has made me very protective of legal rights, even for people we don’t like and think are guilty of something. If it can happen to them, it can happen to you. Anyone who is aware of the news in the U.S. can see that the administration is heading down an autocratic road that is reducing legal rights. End of rant.

JMO

 

[arielilane]

The judge decided she will be outfitted with a GPS tracking bracelet, but will not be subject to house arrest.

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

The woman accused of holding her stepson captive for decades pleaded not guilty.

abc30.com

3/30/2025

The victim's biological mother says she never stopped searching for her son.

 

[Izzylizzy]

He was probably given her medical records, at least starting with her need for mental health hospitalization. I can imagine why, what she said, and it would of been about herself, her poor self.

I found it interesting that the judge was quite clear in his decision for clamping her with a GPS track saying that
"considering the seriousness of her specific mental health conditions".
<modsnip: Removed opinion stated as fact regarding sadism for which there is no known fact to support>

Looks like she's already been diagnosed?
Her lawyer needs the defense of all defenses.
Multiple personality disorder (Alters) is what I came up with./s

IMO