The one who says he “purposefully” started a fire in his dwelling to flee his stepmom’s allegedly horrific abuse reveals why he’s altering his determine and supplies an change on his restoration, after celebrating his “first ever birthday” at 32.
The particular person accusing stepmom Kimberly Sullivan of holding him captive of their Connecticut dwelling for 20 years has issued his first public suggestions since his dramatic rescue in February.
Giving a chronic assertion distributed by Survivors Say — a nonprofit set as a lot as help survivors, victims and their households after tragedy and trauma — the 32-year-old man thanked everyone for his or her help to this point, gave an change on his restoration after first responders allegedly found him weighing merely 68 kilos when he was pulled from the house.
Sullivan is free on $300,000 bond after pleading not accountable to all of the charges in opposition to her, along with felony charges of second-degree kidnapping, and first-degree unlawful restraint. She was moreover charged with cruelty to a person, and first-degree reckless endangerment.
“Please identify me ‘S.’ This isn’t the determine given to me by my dad and mother as soon as I used to be born. I’m choosing a model new determine for myself, and I’ll use that determine as I reclaim administration over my life and my future,” the particular person began his assertion. “My determine is my various, and it’s the primary of many selections I’ll make for myself now that I’m free.”
“I’m a survivor of larger than 20 years of captivity and residential abuse. I was held prisoner in my dwelling from the time I was taken out of the fourth grade at age 11 until two months previously at age 31 as soon as I purposely set the fireside that helped set me free,” he then claimed, reiterating his account to police.
“I’m speaking out within the current day to start out the tactic of reclaiming my life and to have my say in how my story is knowledgeable.”
WTIC/Waterbury PD
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“I’m lots higher and stronger than I was the day the first responders carried me out of my dwelling. I’m previous grateful for the care I’ve obtained since then,” he wrote, sooner than thanking effectively being professionals for his or her assist.
He then added, “Alongside along with your total care, I appreciated the prospect to have my first ever birthday to have an excellent time turning 32.”
The particular person went on to thank first responders, police and “everyone who’s working to hold these accountable for my abuse accountable.”
After thanking his attorneys, conservator, Protected Haven Waterbury and anyone who has donated to a GoFundMe organize in his determine, the particular person added, “Quite a bit has already been talked about that tells part of the story of the abuse I endured. Someday, perhaps my total story may be knowledgeable.”
“I ask everyone involved in my story to completely cooperate with the authorities who’re serving to me search justice for these crimes. I moreover ask most of the people and the media to respect these investigations and my privateness as this course of performs out. This isn’t solely a narrative. It’s my life,” he ended his assertion, reiterating his gratitude for all the help and “continued prayers” despatched his technique amid his restoration.
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Kimberly Sullivan’s Safety
Sullivan insists she didn’t abuse her stepson, whatever the horrific allegations he made in opposition to her.
“Her aspect of the story is form of straightforward,” her authorized skilled Loannis Kaloidis knowledgeable Fox Data Ditigal merely remaining week. “She didn’t damage him, she didn’t restrain him, she didn’t imprison him.”
“This has been an extreme shock to her. She lived a relatively quiet life,” he continued, together with that his shopper “acknowledges that given these allegations, the rest of her life is on the highway” and she or he’s “hopeful that by means of the tactic she may be vindicated.”
“My shopper adamantly denies that there was any imprisonment,” talked about Kaloidis. “As for your entire historic previous, there’s heaps that I anticipate will come out over the course of the trial, hopefully, because of I consider that’s the appropriate place for the discharge of any additional data.”
Her authorized skilled’s suggestions come after the Waterbury Police Division launched a trove of images, video, and totally different paperwork related to the case in opposition to her. The discharge acquired right here because the outcomes of a Freedom of Information request.
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Inside the launched pictures, a cluttered downstairs house, along with kitchen and entrance room, are largely unimpacted by the fireside, whereas there’s intensive smoke and hearth damage in pictures taken from the upstairs house, the place the stepson’s mattress room was.
“I’ve seen the photographs, I’ve seen the films,” Kaloidis knowledgeable Fox Data Digital. “I disagree with the characterization of those pictures and films. They’ve been made out to be the worst that anyone has seen in 20 years. I don’t see that as a result of the case.”
Of his shopper, he talked about that following the allegations, “her face has been plastered throughout the TV, the knowledge, the online, social media” and her life “has been turned the opposite method up.”
“She has an unlimited objective on her once more. She has principally develop to be public enemy major,” he added. “It’s a brilliant weight that she is carrying. It’s a brilliant upheaval to her full life.”
Kaloidis moreover beforehand talked about the suspect’s late husband Kregg Sullivan — who died in 2024 — “was in administration” of the state of affairs and was the one who decided to limit his son to an 8-foot by 9-foot room starting on the age of 11.
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The Horrific Allegations
Authorities turned involved after an emergency identify for an lively hearth at roughly 8:42 p.m. on February 17. That call acquired right here from Sullivan, the proprietor of the property that was aflame.
Whereas the fireside was quickly extinguished and Sullivan was able to evacuate of her private will, the alternative resident inside the dwelling, a 32-year-old man, needed assist from Waterbury Fireplace Division Fireplace personnel. He was subsequently dealt with by emergency medical responders.
“Whereas receiving medical care [for smoke inhalation], the male sufferer disclosed to first responders that he had intentionally set the fireside in his upstairs room,” officers talked about in a assertion regarding the case. As for why he started the fireside, they talked about he knowledgeable them merely, “I wanted my freedom.”
“He further alleged that he had been held captive by Sullivan since he was roughly 11 years outdated,” the assertion continued. In accordance with CBS affiliate WFSB, which shared the full arrest affidavit, the particular person allegedly spent these years locked inside an 8-foot by 9-foot room.
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“Investigators further discovered that he had been equipped with solely minimal portions of meals and water which led to his terribly malnourished state of affairs,” the police assertion added.
The particular person purportedly knowledgeable authorities he was given solely two cups of water per day and was typically compelled to drink out of the toilet. It was moreover determined he “had not obtained medical or dental care” all through his a very long time inside the home.
The affidavit further particulars the particular person’s allegations that he was pulled from school inside the fourth grade and solely allowed out of his room to do chores or to let the canine out, spending roughly 22 hours locked inside the room.
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He further knowledgeable police he’d had no contact with anyone open air the home, and that the ultimate time he’d left the house was collectively together with his now-deceased father when he was 14 or 15 years outdated. He added that solely his two half-sisters and a deceased grandmother knew of his state of affairs.
He talked about that his concern of dropping the minimal meals and water he was given, and that he’s more likely to be locked in even longer, saved him from making an attempt to interrupt out.
On account of the particular person’s assertion, investigators concluded that the sufferer had been compelled to endure “prolonged abuse, starvation, excessive neglect, and inhumane treatment,” leading to an arrest warrant being issued for Sullivan.
In case you’re experiencing or witness child abuse, identify the Childhelp Nationwide Baby Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Baby or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. In case you occur to think about a child is in on the spot hazard, identify 911.
AP/Waterbury Police Division/CBS
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