Man Says He Was Held Captive in Room For 20 Years by His Stepmother And Set the House on Fire to Escape
Socialites, get into this wild story — because this one right here will leave you speechless. A Connecticut man claims he was held hostage in a room by his own stepmother for two whole decades. Yup, you read that right — 20 years. And how did he escape? He had to set the house on fire just to get free.
In a desperate move for freedom, the unidentified man reportedly lit the place up — literally — and finally broke free from the prison that had become his everyday life. Authorities say his act of bravery got the attention of neighbors and first responders.
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While being treated for smoke inhalation he told police:
“I wanted my freedom”
He revealed he’d been locked away since he was just 11 years old. Let that sink in. Twenty years he claimed was stolen from his life — gone, just like that.
The Captivity: A Life Stolen Behind Closed Doors
What’s even more heart-wrenching is that the victim never had a chance to live a normal life. No school dances, no friendships, no career path. Just isolation and trauma. According to police reports, the man was found weighing only 68 pounds — which is dangerously underweight for an adult male.
WFSB reported that prosecutors said,
“He was, without exaggeration, akin to a survivor of Auschwitz’s death camp.”
Charges Filed Against the Stepmother: Kimberly Sullivan
Police say the woman behind this disturbing act is none other than the man’s stepmother — Kimberly Sullivan, age 56. She’s now facing a long list of serious charges, including:
• Assault
• Kidnapping
• Unlawful restraint
• Cruelty
• Reckless endangerment
She was arraigned in court on Wednesday and is being held on a $300,000 bond. But her attorney, Ioannis Kaloidis, isn’t backing down.
He said,
“What she indicated to me was that they were absolutely not true, and as we get more information we intend to put up a vigorous defense.”
Still, the facts are stacking up — and the trauma the victim endured tells its own powerful story.
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Still Searching for Answers: The Ongoing Investigation
Now, investigators are deep into the case, trying to piece together the timeline and the horrifying details behind the scenes. Authorities are looking into how such a thing could’ve gone unnoticed for so long.
Neighbors are shocked. The community is shaken. And folks online are already questioning — how does someone get held in a home for 20 years without anyone noticing?
While we wait to figure that out, Socialites, share your take on this unbelievable case.
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