A woman accused of keeping her stepson imprisoned in what authorities have described as a “house of horrors” for two decades has denied the allegations against her.
Kimberly Sullivan, 56, was arrested earlier this week after her 32-year-old stepson escaped from their Waterbury, Connecticut, home by setting a fire.
Sullivan now faces multiple charges, including first-degree assault, second-degree kidnapping, first-degree unlawful restraint, cruelty to persons, and first-degree reckless endangerment.
Despite the serious accusations, Sullivan has maintained her innocence.
Defense Attorney Calls Allegations “Outlandish”
Her attorney, Ioannis Kaloidis, dismissed the claims against her as false and shocking. He stated to NBC Connecticut that Sullivan never locked her stepson in a room and that the allegations were “absolutely not true.”
According to an affidavit, the victim described being confined to an 8-by-9-foot room and suffering prolonged neglect, starvation, and abuse. Some neighbors recalled seeing a “little boy” in a window years ago, unaware that the man had been trapped inside for decades.
However, Kaloidis argued that Sullivan had always provided food and shelter for her stepson and was deeply shocked by the accusations. He claimed her late husband, who passed away in January 2024, had dictated how his son was raised.
Kaloidis emphasized that the case relied heavily on the alleged victim’s statements, adding, “We look forward to being able to vindicate her and show that she’s done nothing wrong.”
