A Connecticut mother is rejecting two plea deals that could have significantly reduced her prison sentence for allegedly confining her stepson in a dilapidated home for decades. Kimberly Sullivan, 57, faces multiple charges including two counts of first-degree kidnapping, first-degree assault, first-degree unlawful restraint, and intentional cruelty to persons.
Prosecutors had offered Sullivan a plea deal that would result in a 30-year sentence, suspended after 20 years served with five years of probation. A judge later sweetened this offer, proposing a 30-year sentence suspended after just 10 years served. However, Sullivan's attorney, Ioannis Kaloidis, stated that she will reject both offers when she returns to court on September 4.
"I don't anticipate this case resolving with anything that involves incarceration," Kaloidis told reporters. He asserted Sullivan's innocence, claiming she is surprised by the charges and that the stepson's father, Kregg Sullivan, made decisions regarding his upbringing. Kregg Sullivan died in January 2024.
Sullivan maintains she encouraged her stepson's hygiene but could not force him to wash, and was aware of his low weight but not responsible for it. She also denied locking him in his room, claiming he had free rein of the house.
Discovery of Abuse
The allegations surfaced on February 17, 2025, when the now 32-year-old stepson set a fire in an upstairs bedroom of their Waterbury home. Responding firefighters found the emaciated man, who weighed just 68 pounds, prompting one rescuer to describe him as "akin to a survivor of Auschwitz's death camp." The man allegedly told police he set the fire to escape, stating, "I wanted my freedom."
He confided that he had been held captive since approximately age 11 in an 8-foot-by-9-foot room with no heat or air conditioning. Following the fire, he was treated for smoke inhalation and diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and depression. An investigation concluded that the man had been held captive for over 20 years, enduring prolonged abuse, starvation, severe neglect, and inhumane treatment.
Prosecutors allege Sullivan deprived him of bathroom access, forcing him to devise methods for waste disposal. He also claimed to be constantly hungry, sometimes asking classmates for food or eating from garbage cans when younger, and later receiving only two sandwiches and water daily while confined for most of each day. His only outside contact was reportedly a radio in his room, which helped him stay aware of current events and his interests.
Past Concerns and Legal Proceedings
Former teachers and school officials recalled raising concerns about the man years prior. A former principal of Barnard Elementary School stated that reports were made about the boy's malnourished appearance and rotten teeth from as early as age five. Despite these reports, authorities reportedly found him to be safe at the time. Police records indicate their only interactions with the family were in 2005, including a welfare check prompted by schoolmates' concerns. The boy was withdrawn from school at age 11.
The stepson remains hospitalized. His biological mother, Tracy Vallerand, who relinquished custody when he was six months old, expressed distress over her lack of knowledge regarding his current condition and whereabouts. She also criticized prosecutors for offering a plea deal to Sullivan.
Sullivan was released on $300,000 bond last year. Her attorney hopes that by rejecting the plea deals, a trial can be scheduled for next year. He stated that he believes Sullivan has done nothing wrong.