A woman who identified herself as the biological mother of a man who was allegedly held captive by his stepmother for 20 years in a Connecticut home has reportedly spoken out following her son’s grisly discovery.
Kimberly Sullivan, 56, was arrested by Waterbury police last week after her 32-year-old stepson was found in “a severely emaciated condition” when city firefighters evacuated him from a house fire on Feb. 17. The man told the first responders that he wanted his “freedom,” so he used hand sanitizer, printer paper and a lighter to intentionally set the home owned by Sullivan ablaze, according to an arrest warrant obtained by USA TODAY.
“The suffering this victim endured for over 20 years is both heartbreaking and unimaginable,” Waterbury Police Chief Fernando Spagnolo said in a department Facebook post.
A 52-year-old woman who identified herself as the biological mother of Sullivan’s stepson, who police have not named, spoke with NBC Connecticut and WFSB about the ongoing case.
“Thirty-two years ago, due to personal reasons, and for the full benefit of my son, I made the gut wrenching decision to give full custody to my ex-husband,” she told WFSB in a statement. “This was the most painful, emotional decision any mother can make, but I thought he would have a better life. In retrospect, this did not come to pass. For the last 30 years my family and I have searched for him to reconnect only to be turned away and shut out.”
“The last few days have been so shocking, disturbing and disgusting to seem true. I hope and pray we can all begin to heal and helping my son to lead a full happy loving life. I know deep in my heart I have always been there for him and always will. Please grant us the time, peace and respect as we try to cope with this tragic situation.”
The woman, who CT Insider identified as Tracy Vallerand, 52, of Meriden, Connecticut, told the outlet that her biological son’s late father and Sullivan were a “bunch of monsters.” USA TODAY attempted to reach Vallerand on Tuesday but has not received a response.
Here’s what to know about the case after the woman identifying herself as the man’s biological mother spoke to local media about her son’s alleged captivity that began when he was 11 years old.
Stepson’s biological mother says she searched for him for decades
While speaking with NBC Connecticut, the woman said she had been searching for her son for decades ever since she gave up custody of him when he was just a child. The outlet did not name the woman, reporting she wished to remain anonymous.
