Connecticut Woman Accused of Holding Stepson Captive for 20 Years Faces February Trial

POLICY WIRE — Waterbury, United States — A Connecticut woman facing allegations that she kept her stepson in captivity for more than two decades is scheduled to stand trial in February.

During a Tuesday proceeding at the Waterbury Judicial District courthouse, a judge received a collection of confidential documents regarding the case against Kimberly Sullivan. Sullivan was absent from the courtroom during the hearing.

Over the upcoming weeks, the judge will review these records, which were gathered via state subpoenas directed at the Department of Children and Families, Waterbury Public Schools, and an unnamed treatment facility. He will ultimately decide which documents are admissible for use during the trial.

The criminal case captured widespread national attention after harrowing details surfaced following Sullivan’s arrest in March 2025. Investigators alleged that her stepson had endured captivity since the age of 11.

According to an affidavit, Sullivan’s 32-year-old stepson told law enforcement that he spent nearly his entire life subjected to abuse, starvation, and isolation, eventually lighting a fire in his room on purpose to escape his conditions.

Police discovered the man inside the residence in a severe state of malnutrition. Authorities noted he had gone years without medical or dental treatment and faced prolonged abuse, starvation, severe neglect, and inhumane treatment.

At the time of Sullivan’s arrest, the stepson stood 5-foot-9 and weighed only 68 pounds.

Waterbury Police Chief Fernando Spagnolo described the living environment to reporters last year, stating it was worse than the conditions of a jail cell.

Waterbury police distributed dozens of interior photographs in April 2025 following a Freedom of Information request from NBC Connecticut. The images displayed cluttered rooms, smoke damage from the fire, and doors fitted with exterior locks.

Ioannis Kaloidis, who serves as Sullivan’s defense attorney, criticized the publication of the photographs at the time. He told NBC Connecticut that the police action was shocking, offensive, and ethically questionable, arguing it jeopardized his client’s right to a fair trial.

Sullivan entered not guilty pleas to charges of kidnapping, assault, unlawful restraint, and intentional cruelty to persons.

Sullivan also turned down two separate plea offers in September. One proposal came from the judge, offering a 30-year sentence suspended after 10 years behind bars, while the second state offer involved 30 years in prison suspended after serving 20 years, along with five years of probation.

Kaloidis has maintained that his client consistently asserts her innocence.

During Tuesday’s proceedings, Kaloidis submitted multiple motions, including a request for a 12-member jury rather than six. He also asked state prosecutors to refrain from referring to Sullivan’s stepson as the victim during court proceedings.

The judge approved the request regarding terminology on Tuesday, while the motion for a larger jury is scheduled for argument during the next court date on Nov. 23.

The stepson, identified in court records by the pseudonym S., is expected to provide testimony during the trial, according to NBC Connecticut.

The judge additionally approved a motion from Kaloidis requiring the disclosure of all material that could challenge or impeach the credibility of S. and his sister during the pretrial discovery phase, as the sister is also slated to testify.

If she is convicted next year, Sullivan faces a maximum sentence exceeding 45 years in prison.

Jury selection for the upcoming February trial is anticipated to commence approximately one month prior.

Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)