Missing Man in Waterbury

A Connecticut man who claims he was held captive for twenty years was rescued from a burning house, telling first responders he did it to gain his freedom, according to police. 

            The man’s stepmother was charged with cruelty and kidnapping. 

Waterbury first responders rescued the 32 year old from an upstairs room following being sent to a house fire last month. While being treated the man reported intentionally setting the fire. 

"I wanted my freedom," the man said, according to police. He said he had been held captive since he was about 11 years old, being held in a room without heating or air conditioning, given limited food and no access to a bathroom.

 An investigation uncovered that the man, whose name has not been released, "had been held in captivity for over 20 years, enduring abuse, starvation, severe neglect, and inhumane treatment," police said, adding that he had not received medical or dental care during that time. 

"The suffering this victim endured for over 20 years is both heartbreaking and unimaginable," Chief Fernando Spagnolo said in a statement.

Kimberly Sullivan, 56, is the man’s stepmother, was charged with assault, kidnapping, unlawful restraint, cruelty and reckless endangerment. 

Sullivan was arrested on March 12 and pleaded not guilty on March 28th and was denied the placement of house arrest but was ordered to wear an electronic GPS monitoring device when she was released on bail. Sullivan was arrested on March 12. 

            The judge defended his decision stating that Sullivan has no permanent residence, and has been admitted to a mental facility following her arrest due to mental health concerns, has no previous criminal record and has not failed to appear in court. These are the reasons house arrest is seen as unnecessary. 

Sullivan owns the home and was in the house when the fire started. 

The man "lit a fire with some hand sanitizer, some paper from a printer, and he lit that fire while he was locked in that room from the outside. He lit that fire very well knowing he could die, but he had been locked in the room for 20 years, and for 20 years he'd been trying to get out of that room," a prosecutor said in court on March 12, according to CBS. 

Sullivan's attorney, Ioannis Kaloidis denies these allegations. Kaloidis said he is still gathering information and couldn't immediately say if there were other people living in the home.

“I think it’s wild, and I think that it is going to bring to light a lot of the DCF protocols because he was flagged when he wasn’t in school. They didn’t do anything about it and when they did do something it didn't go anywhere, and then he disappeared from school. It was teachers and even friends that were calling. I'm pretty sure an administrative principal, and you know he was removed from school and none followed up and here we are 20 years later. It was just crazy, wild,” NHS Physical Education teacher Megan Goyda said. 

The police had one interaction with the family in 2005 due to a welfare check after children who went to school with the boy before he was removed were concerned. 

“We are shocked and saddened for the victim and for the unspeakable conditions he endured," the department said in a statement. "The now adult victim has shown incredible strength and resilience during this time of healing and our hearts go out to him,"

When the man attended Waterbury Elementary school as a child, staff took notice of his small size and made multiple calls to the stepmother along with the Department of Children and Families.

“Knowing very little of the story, I would just say it's concerning that we live in a time when a person could be detained for this long without neighbors, friends, or a community noticing or taking action. Privacy is one thing, but I fear we are living increasingly isolated and insular lives where these tragedies are more possible,” NHS Social Studies teacher Ryan Eberts said.