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Connecticut residents were shocked to learn that a seemingly ordinary woman in their neighborhood had been secretly holding four young girls captive for an extended period.
Neighbors in Waterbury knew Kimberly Sullivan as an unassuming older woman living a quiet life in an average home.
However, police investigators uncovered a horrifying reality inside her residence—one that surpassed their worst fears.
Court records reveal that Sullivan is now facing multiple criminal charges, including kidnapping, assault, and unlawful imprisonment.
The accused woman confined her stepson in a small, enclosed space for two decades.
The unidentified man had been removed from school at the age of 10.
According to neighborhood reports, he was rarely seen outside, almost vanishing from public view.
“We probably only saw him three times,” one neighbor told NBC News. “I still remember his face, and it gives me chills just thinking about it.”
The neighbor admitted they had no idea Sullivan even had a stepson
The case came to light earlier this year when firefighters responded to a house fire at the residence.
Authorities found more than just smoke damage—they discovered a frail man weighing only 87 pounds.
What followed was a series of chilling revelations.
Police reports indicate that the man had been confined to a small, locked space, only let out to perform household chores.
He told investigators that he survived on just two sandwiches and two glasses of liquid per day.
Investigators discovered that the door was secured with an exterior slide bolt, a detail later included in the arrest warrant.
During the trial, Sullivan’s defense attorney, Ioannis Kaloidis, pushed back against the allegations.
“She did not restrain him,” Kaloidis argued. “She provided food and shelter. These accusations are completely outrageous.”
However, the community remains unconvinced.
Tom Pannone, the boy’s former elementary school principal, along with other staff members, had reported his disappearance to authorities years ago.
“We knew it. We reported it,” Pannone stated, emphasizing that no effective action was ever taken. “Everyone was deeply concerned about this child since he was five years old.”
By the age of 10, children are typically present and engaged in daily life—but in this case, he seemed to vanish.
One haunting memory continues to trouble the community, serving as a grim reminder of his prolonged absence.
Neighbor McCullough recalls a chilling conversation with Sullivan just one day before her arrest.
“I just want to get out of here,” she murmured, according to McCullough, who later recounted the exchange to CNN.
At the time, he thought nothing of her words, but in retrospect, their conversation now appears to have been a clear red flag.
Law enforcement investigators have determined that the discovery of the emaciated man was not the result of an accidental house fire.
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