A Connecticut man who authorities say was held captive by his stepmother for 20 years escaped his confinement by setting fire to the small room where he was imprisoned, officials reported.
The 32-year-old man, found
severely emaciated, was rescued by authorities from a 72-square-foot room after
they responded to the fire. At the time of his escape, he weighed just 68
pounds and was treated for smoke inhalation, according to officials.
The man told police in
Waterbury, Connecticut, that he had endured years of "prolonged abuse,
starvation, severe neglect, and inhumane treatment" before deciding to set
the fire. His stepmother, Kimberly Sullivan, 56, has been charged with
kidnapping and cruelty to persons. She has denied the allegations.
"I wanted my
freedom," the man told investigators, explaining his desperate act.
Prosecutors allege that for
years, the man was given only a sandwich and two small bottles of water each
day. He was allowed out of the room for just two hours daily to perform chores
under his stepmother’s supervision, officials said.
In court on Wednesday, a
prosecutor stated that the man used hand sanitizer, paper, and a lighter to
start the fire, fully aware that it could cost him his life. Ms. Sullivan was
home at the time of the fire on February 17 but did not speak to authorities
when they arrived. She was arrested on Wednesday.
Ms. Sullivan’s attorney, Ioannis Kaloidis, disputed the allegations, telling local media that accusations were false.
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