WATERBURY, Conn. — A man who said he was held captive by his stepmother for more than two decades set fire to his room to escape.
The man, whose name was not released, said was left in a room, which was called a storage room, with plywood on both sides of the door and a lock to keep him from getting out, he told officials, WFSB reported.
He said he was only fed two sandwiches and two cups of water a day.
But he was able to get his hands on printer paper, hand sanitizer and a lighter, using those supplies to set fire to his room at the home in Waterbury, Connecticut, on Feb. 17, police said.
First responders got the 32-year-old man’s stepmother, Kimberly Sullivan, out of the home safely.
When rescued by first responders, he told them he set fire to his room intentionally.
Police said he told them he did it because “I wanted my freedom."
They determined he had been held by Sullivan since he was 11 years old.
He suffered smoke inhalation and exposure to the fire.
She and her attorney deny the allegation.
“Absolutely not true. He was not locked in a room. She did not restrain him in any way,” Sullivan’s attorney said. “She provided food and she provided shelter and she was blown away by these allegations. Absolutely not.”
But her stepson weighed only 68 pounds, police said.
“He was, without exaggeration, akin to a survivor of Auschwitz’s death camp,” prosecutors said.
After an investigation, they determined he had been allegedly locked away in a room for almost two decades.
“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.”
He said was allowed out to do chores and eventually put their dog out, but the last time he fully left the house was when he was 14 or 15 years old and went out with his father, who is now dead.
Police said he was threatened with losing what little food he got and was locked in the room for longer periods so he didn’t get out.
Sullivan was charged with assault, kidnapping, unlawful restraint, cruelty and reckless endangerment and is being held on a $300,000 bond.
© 2025 Cox Media Group
Sign Up
