A US woman was arrested for allegedly holding her stepson captive for 20 years.
According to authorities, a Connecticut man who was allegedly held captive by his stepmother for 20 years managed to get out by burning the tiny room where he was kept.
Authorities rescued the skinny 32-year-old man from a 72-square-foot (6.7-square-meter) room after responding to the fire. The alleged prisoner was treated for smoke inhalation and weighed 68 pounds (30 kilograms) when he escaped.
Police in Waterbury, Connecticut, say the man admitted to starting the fire after years of “prolonged abuse, starvation, severe neglect, and inhumane treatment.” He was starved and held captive by his stepmother, who was charged with cruelty and kidnapping. She has refuted the accusations.
The man told police, “I wanted my freedom,” as an explanation for why he started the fire.
The prosecution said he was fed a sandwich and two tiny water bottles daily for years. He was only permitted to leave his captivity for two hours each day to perform household tasks while being watched over by his stepmother.
Waterbury woman arrested for holding stepson captive for over 20 years.
On Wednesday, while they were in court, one of the prosecutors noted that he used paper, a lighter and hand sanitizer to start the fire because he was sure that he might die. Kimberly Sullivan, her stepmother was home when the fire started, but she didn’t say anything when the police arrived.
Ms. Sullivan’s attorney said the charges were false.
Ioannis Kaloidis, the attorney, told local media, “He was not locked in a room.” “She didn’t hold him back at all. She gave food and shelter. These accusations have completely astounded her. Ms. Sullivan was taken into custody by local police on Wednesday after the fire was started on February 17.
The case’s specifics were described as “both heartbreaking and unimaginable” by Waterbury Police Chief Fernando Spagnolo. Since he was around eleven years old, the victim told police, he had been confined to his family’s home in Waterbury.
“He had been locked in that room for 20 years, and for 20 years he’d been trying to get out of that room,” the prosecutor said. It was unclear exactly when his father passed away, but officials said it was a factor in his deteriorating health.
Authorities reported that his body mass index (BMI) was 11 when he was discovered. According to the National Health Service, 18.5 to 24.9 is healthy. The unnamed man had not received medical or dental care while in captivity, according to police.
