'House of horrors' suspect accused of holding stepson captive hit with new charges as she denies allegations
A Connecticut woman accused of holding her stepson as a prisoner in a "house of horrors" for two decades has been slapped with additional charges stemming from the alleged captivity.
Kimberly Sullivan, 57, is facing two charges of first-degree kidnapping, along with charges of assault, intentional cruelty to persons and unlawful restraint, according to Court TV.
The charges are reportedly identical to those Sullivan initially faced last year, but have been updated to reflect new information surrounding the case.
"This wasn’t true then, it isn’t true now," Sullivan’s attorney, Ionnis Kalodis, reportedly said.
Sullivan is accused of locking her stepson in a storage closet for at least 22 hours a day since he was 11 years old in March 1996, according to court records. The stepson, referred to as "S" in court documents, was 32 years old when Sullivan was arrested.
A police affidavit revealed S told investigators he was fed only two sandwiches and one water bottle each day, and was provided with a second water bottle "for bathing."
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In February 2025, S lit Sullivan’s Waterbury house on fire to escape captivity. He was just 68 pounds when firefighters pulled him from the burning building.
Last year, Sullivan was granted access to her stepson’s new identity, medical records and current address after asking a judge to hand over the information, according to WFSB.
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"The state’s position, stripped of its appeal to ‘victim’ protection, amounts to this: the accuser may assume a new identity, relocate to an undisclosed address, and the defendant charged with serious felonies arising from their decades-long relationship must be kept in the dark," Kaloidis reportedly argued in the court filing.
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The move sent shockwaves throughout S’s family, with the victim’s biological mother blasting the request from Sullivan’s defense team.
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"If you look at any domestic violence situation, you’re not going to let the person who is being the evil person around the one who needs to be protected," Tracy Vallerand told the New York Post.
"It’s appalling that they even had the audacity to request that."
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Vallerand reportedly gave up custody of S decades ago, leaving the child with her ex, who died in 2024, and Sullivan.
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Sullivan has pleaded guilty to all charges and remains free on $300,000 as she awaits trial.
Sullivan’s attorney did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Fox News Digital’s Peter D’Abrosca and Michael Ruiz contributed to this report.