The Connecticut woman who allegedly tortured, starved and held her stepson captive in a house of horrors for more than two decades will remain free on bail Friday — as prosecutors revealed the severely emaciated victim lives in constant “fear.”
Kimberly Sullivan, 56, pleaded not guilty in court after her 32-year-old stepson’s dramatic rescue from a burning Waterbury home last month uncovered a pattern of alleged abuse that authorities likened to “a horror movie.” She was spotted later Friday sitting in the sun on the porch of her home, scrolling on her cell phone.
Prosecutors sought to have the stepmom, who posted bail following her widely publicized arrest earlier this month, put under house arrest — but a judge denied the request and instead ordered her to wear a GPS ankle monitor.
Kimberly Sullivan appears at Waterbury Superior Court in Connecticut, on Friday. Hearst Connecticut Media“This victim is afraid, this victim lives in fear,” prosecutor Don Therkildsen told the court as he sought to have Sullivan’s current bail conditions tightened.
He added that when he first introduced himself, the alleged victim asked: “Why is she out walking around when I was locked up for 20 years.”
Sullivan was charged with cruelty and kidnapping after her severely emaciated stepson alleged she kept him padlocked in a tiny room, starved him and deprived him of water so severely that he was forced to drink from the toilet bowl.
The shocking details only emerged after the victim, who hasn’t been publicly identified, opened up to cops about the hellish conditions he was forced to endure since he was a child after he deliberately set his home on fire on Feb. 17 to escape the nightmare.
An investigation later determined he had been held in captivity for more than 20 years — during which he was starved and neglected, authorities said.
“He was, without exaggeration, akin to a survivor of Auschwitz’s death camp,” officials said of the victim’s condition soon after he was rescued.
Follow The Post’s coverage on Kimberly Sullivan and her “CT House of Horrors”
- Moment Connecticut house of horrors victim is rescued after lighting fire to escape stepmom Kimberly Sullivan who held him captive for decades
- Deranged Connecticut mom who allegedly kept stepson captive for decades posts $300K bond just day after arrest
- Bodycam footage outside Connecticut house of horrors shows Kimberly Sullivan deny accusation soon after stepson’s fiery escape
- Man held captive in Connecticut house of horrors for 20 years breaks silence
Sullivan arrives at court on Friday. Douglas Healey
Kimberly Sullivan departs after appearing at Waterbury Superior Court. Douglas Healey
Dramatic bodycam footage captured the rescue of the alleged abused Connecticut man held captive in February. Waterbury Fire DepartmentThe victim weighed a mere 69 pounds when he was freed, authorities said.
Judge Joseph Schwartz called the allegations against Sullivan “arguably the most troubling that I have seen in my time as a judge.”
Sullivan, who posted her $300,000 bail soon after her arrest, has repeatedly denied the sick allegations.
The allegedly evil stepmom was spotted on the balcony of her new home after court, wearing a bucket hat and sunglasses, sitting in the sun and looking at her phone.
“I understand the whole world wants to convict Ms Sullivan and the whole world has,” her attorney, Ioannis Kaloidis, said in court on Friday as he argued against tightening her bail conditions.
“But this is the only place, the only room, we have to protect her rights.”
“She is presumed innocent,” he continued, adding that “by adding conditions the court is sending the message that she has done something wrong.”
