Connecticut Woman Accused of Holding Stepson Captive for 20 Years

Kimberly Sullivan, 56, faces multiple charges after her 32-year-old stepson escaped, alleging decades of abuse and confinement.

The victim, now 32, told authorities he had been held captive by his stepmother, Kimberly Sullivan, since he was 11 years old, enduring severe neglect and abuse.
The man set fire to his room in February in a desperate attempt to escape, later telling first responders he wanted his freedom.
Sullivan has been charged with assault, kidnapping, unlawful restraint, cruelty, and reckless endangerment but denies the allegations, claiming her late husband dictated the boy's upbringing.
Authorities described the victim's condition as severely emaciated, with mental and physical trauma comparable to a Holocaust survivor, weighing just 68 pounds at the time of his escape.
Critics have pointed to Connecticut's unregulated homeschooling system as a potential factor that allowed the alleged abuse to go undetected for years.