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On Tuesday, officials released photos of a Connecticut home where a woman allegedly held her stepson captive for 20 years.
According to CT Insider, who obtained images from the Waterbury police, the 32-year-old individual attempted to flee by setting a room ablaze on February 17. The man’s stepmother, Kimberly Sullivan, 57, is accused of confining him in a room measuring 9-by-8 feet with a slanted ceiling.
The photos apparently show locks which became more sophisticated as the man grew stronger. Sullivan reportedly also fortified the doors with plywood.
“The dissemination of crucial evidence by the Waterbury Police Department in the midst of an ongoing investigation is alarming, inappropriate, and raises serious ethical concerns. This action only strengthens negative public perception of Ms. Sullivan,” stated Sullivan’s lawyer, Ioannis Kaloidis, in a release to CTPost. “To ensure justice, protecting constitutional rights and ensuring a fair trial is essential. We urge a prompt investigation into how these photos and videos were released. We are prepared to challenge these serious accusations vigorously.”
CT Insider noted that the man, who was saved after the fire, was in poor condition with decaying teeth and was unclean. Fernando Spagnolo, the Waterbury Police Chief, reported that he stood 5 feet 9 inches and weighed only 68 pounds.
Two reports from 2005 indicated that police visited the home and determined the then-12-year-old victim appeared “healthy and happy.”
The man reportedly claimed he was only fed two sandwiches and two small water bottles a day. Officers reportedly found evidence showing how the man was expected to dispose of his waste, according to CT Insider.
“We believe that he may have walked through the fire to get out of the room that he was in. It’s amazing he’s alive,” Spagnolo said, according to WCBS.
Sullivan was charged with second-degree kidnapping, first-degree assault, cruelty to a person, first-degree unlawful restraint and first-degree reckless endangerment. She pleaded guilty on Friday and is free on $300,000 bail.
[Feature Photo: Waterbury police]