After being freed in February, the Connecticut man whose stepmother reportedly kept him captive in a home of horrors for over 20 years has made his first public remarks.
The 32-year-old man, who was only 68 pounds when he purposefully lit his room on fire and was saved by first responders, said in a statement acquired by News 8 that he was growing stronger every day and went by the name “S.”
“Call me ‘S,’ please. My parents did not give me this name when I was born. As I take back control of my life and future, I’m going to utilize the new name I’ve chosen for myself. I am free to choose my name, and it is the first of many decisions I shall make for me.
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I have survived domestic violence and captivity for almost 20 years. From the moment I was pulled out of the fourth grade at the age of eleven until I intentionally started the fire two months ago at the age of thirty-one, I was imprisoned in my home until it helped release me.
To start the process of taking back my life and to have a voice in the narrative of my story, I am coming up today.
Compared to the day the first responders took me from my house, I am a lot stronger and better. Since then, I have received care for which I am incredibly thankful. Thank you to all of the medical experts who have supported and cared for me. Along with all of your kindness, I was grateful for the opportunity to celebrate turning 32 with my first birthday celebration.
I also want to express my gratitude to the law enforcement detectives, first responders, and everyone else who is trying to hold those accountable for my mistreatment. I would want to express my gratitude to everyone at Safe Haven Waterbury and to everyone who has donated to the GoFundMe page, which will help defray some of the crippling costs I will encounter in the coming weeks, months, and years.
Kimberly Sullivan, the man’s 57-year-old stepmother, has entered a not guilty plea to charges of kidnapping and assault.
She allegedly malnourished and mistreated him for more than 20 years while keeping him imprisoned in an 8 by 9-foot “back storage space.”
He informed authorities that Sullivan frequently denied her stepson access to basic necessities like water, forcing him to drink from the toilet in order to survive.
And even before he was trapped, he claims that in order to survive as a youngster, he frequently turned to robbing classmates of their lunches or scrounging food from trash cans.
Sullivan pulled the boy out of school in the early 2000s after the Connecticut Department of Children made two home visits as a result of that behavior.
He claims that during the years, he was not permitted to bathe or cut his hair, and that he frequently lost his teeth while eating on the scant food that was provided to him.
The conditions of his incarceration deteriorated after the death of his biological father in 2024, and he attempted to escape by setting himself on fire. He was compared to a Holocaust survivor by the first responders who dragged him out of the house.
Sullivan posted $300,000 bond and was released.
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