Principal of Man Allegedly Held Captive for 20 Years by Stepmom 'Reported' Concerns In Early 2000s

Kimberly Sullivan, 56, is accused of holding her unnamed 32-year-old stepson captive in her Connecticut home for the past two decades. The suspect was arrested on Wednesday, and charged with "assault in the first degree, kidnapping in the second degree, unlawful restraint in the first degree, cruelty to persons and reckless endangerment in the first degree," according to police.

Speaking with NBC CT, Barnard Elementary School principal Tom Pannone said "Everyone really was concerned with this child since he was 5 years old. You knew something was wrong. It was grossly wrong."

Pannone told the outlet the boy was "extremely small and thin" and claimed he said he wasn't given food at home; staff allegedly saw him eating out of the garbage at school. Per Pannone, staff also made multiple calls to Sullivan, and called Department of Children and Families at least 20 times.

"We knew it. We reported it. Not a damn thing was done. That's the tragedy of the whole thing," he told NBC, claiming the boy stopped going to the school in the fifth grade. "Sorry we couldn't do more. Because you went through more than any of us ever will go through with our lives," he added.

According to Sullivan's arrest affidavit, the man claimed DCF did respond to the home twice, but he was told by his stepmom "to tell them everything was fine." He was then allegedly pulled from school.

Authorities became involved after an emergency call for an active fire at approximately 8:42 p.m. on February 17. That call came from Sullivan, the owner of the property that was aflame.

While the fire was quickly extinguished and Sullivan was able to evacuate of her own will, the other resident in the home, a 32-year-old man, needed assistance from Waterbury Fire Department's Fire personnel.

He was subsequently treated by emergency medical responders. It was only when police began talking to the man that they uncovered that it was he who had started the fire -- and why.

"While receiving medical care [for smoke inhalation], the male victim disclosed to first responders that he had intentionally set the fire in his upstairs room," officials said in a statement regarding the case.

As for why he started the fire, they said he told them simply, "I wanted my freedom."

"He further alleged that he had been held captive by Sullivan since he was approximately 11 years old," the statement continued. According to CBS affiliate WFSB, which shared the full arrest affidavit, the man allegedly spent those years locked inside an 8-foot by 9-foot room.

The alleged victim "lit a fire with some hand sanitizer, some paper from a printer, and he lit that fire while he was locked in that room from the outside," said a prosecutor in court on Wednesday, per WFSB.

"He lit that fire very well knowing he could die," the prosecutor continued, "but he had been locked in the room for 20 years, and for 20 years he'd been trying to get out of that room."

The man's initial comments triggered an investigation as the man was examined by medical professionals and found to be in a "severely emaciated condition," weighing just 68 pounds, according to WFSB.

"Investigators further discovered that he had been provided with only minimal amounts of food and water which led to his extremely malnourished condition," the police statement added.

The man purportedly told authorities he was given only two cups of water per day and was sometimes forced to drink out of the toilet. It was also determined he "had not received medical or dental care" during his decades inside the home.

The affidavit further details the man's allegations that he was pulled from school in the fourth grade and only allowed out of his room to do chores or to let the dog out, spending approximately 22 hours locked in the room.

He further told police he'd had no contact with anyone outside the home, and that the last time he'd left the house was with his now-deceased father when he was 14 or 15 years old. He added that only his two half-sisters and a deceased grandmother knew of his situation.

He said that his fear of losing the minimal food and water he was given, and that he might be locked in even longer, kept him from trying to break out.

As a result of the man's statement, investigators concluded that the victim had been forced to endure "prolonged abuse, starvation, severe neglect, and inhumane treatment," leading to an arrest warrant being issued for Sullivan.

"This case required relentless investigative effort, and I commend the dedication of our officers and the Waterbury State’s Attorney’s Office," said Spagnolo. "Their unwavering commitment ensured that justice is served, and the perpetrator is held fully accountable for these horrific crimes."

Speaking with The Associated Press by phone, Sullivan's attorney, Ioannis Kaloidis, said his client was "stunned to hear the allegations" and "that they were absolutely not true."

"Absolutely not true. He was not locked in a room. She did not restrain him in anyway," Kaloidis insisted, per WFSB. "She provided food and she provided shelter and she was blown away by these allegations. Absolutely not."

"As we get more information we intend to put up a vigorous defense," Kaloidis added to the AP. "But she's adamant she did not do the things that she's accused of."

Sullivan's bond has been set at $300,000. She is expected to be placed in the custody of the Connecticut Department of Corrections awaiting trial.

If you are experiencing or witness child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. If you believe a child is in immediate danger, call 911.