A man who was allegedly neglected and kept prisoner by his stepmom for 20 years asked a heartbreaking question learning she had been charged, but remained free.
Kimberly Sullivan. Credit: Waterbury Police Department
Kimberly Sullivan, 56, from Waterbury, Connecticut, stands accused of imprisoning her stepson for over two decades, subjecting him to severe abuse and neglect, per CNN.
She has pleaded not guilty to charges including kidnapping, felony assault, and cruelty to persons.
The alleged victim – now 32 and who has not been named publicly – reportedly set fire to their Blake Street residence on February 17 in a desperate attempt to escape his confinement.
First responders discovered him severely malnourished, weighing only 69 pounds at a height of 5-foot-9.
He informed authorities that he had been confined to a small room for most of his life, receiving minimal food and no medical care, per the New York Post.
During a recent court appearance, Supervisory Assistant State’s Attorney Don Therkildsen Jr. highlighted the victim’s ongoing fear, stating: “This victim is afraid. This victim lives in fear.”
Despite the gravity of the allegations, Sullivan was released on a $300,000 bond and ordered to wear a GPS monitoring device.
When learning of the judge’s decision, Therkildsen also revealed that her stepson heartbreakingly questioned: “Why is she out walking around when I was locked up in a room for 20 years?”
The judge denied the prosecution’s request for house arrest but emphasized the seriousness of the charges, noting they are “arguably the most troubling that I’ve seen during my tenure as a judge,” per NBC Connecticut.
Sullivan’s attorney, Ioannis Kaloidis, maintains her innocence, asserting: “Those allegations are serious, but those allegations are made by one person.”
He emphasized the presumption of innocence, stating: “I understand that the whole world wants to convict Miss Sullivan, and the whole world already has, but this is the only place, the only room in this country, where we have an opportunity to protect her rights.
“And as unpopular as that may seem, that’s what’s at issue here, her rights, no one else’s.”
Sullivan was “disappointed” by the judge’s decision, which exacerbated “an already complicated situation,” Kaloidis said in a CNN interview Friday.
“She has security concerns, employment concerns, housing concerns. She’s public enemy number one, so what do you tell her in that situation?” Kaloidis said.
He went on: “What can you tell someone that’s hated internationally by everyone when they know nothing about her, they know nothing about who she is as a person, or what she’s gone through or what she’s dealing with, they just assume, because this person has made these allegations, that they must be true?”
Until the allegations are proven in court with evidence and corroboration, Kaloidis boldly declared, “they mean nothing.”
“As horrible as the allegations are, and as much as people don’t want to hear it, she is not guilty in the eyes of the law, and that’s not going to change anytime soon, no matter how many millions of people hate her,” Kaloidis said.
The case has drawn international attention, with media outlets covering the shocking details extensively.
Neighbors expressed disbelief upon learning about the alleged captivity, with one stating: “Who was that?” upon seeing the victim being carried out on a stretcher.
The victim’s biological mother, Tracy Vallerand, who had not seen her son since he was six months old after relinquishing custody, attended the court proceedings, per ABC7.
She expressed her determination to seek justice, stating: “It’s just disgusting that she’s allowed to be on the streets right now.”
