Woman charged with holding 'severely emaciated' stepson in captivity for 20 years: Cops

WATERBURY, Connecticut -- A woman was charged for allegedly holding her "severely emaciated" stepson in captivity for over 20 years, since he was 11 years old, and forcing him to endure "prolonged abuse, starvation, severe neglect, and inhumane treatment," police said.

The discovery of the now 32-year-old man happened on Feb. 17, when Waterbury Police Department officers in Connecticut, along with personnel from the Waterbury Fire Department, responded to a report of an active fire at a residence on Blake Street at approximately 8:42 p.m.

The fire was quickly extinguished by authorities and two occupants were found inside the home at the time. The first person was identified as 56-year-old Kimberly Sullivan, the owner of the property who called authorities for help, and the second person was identified as a 32-year-old man who was later determined to be Sullivan's stepson.

Sullivan was evacuated to safety following the fire but the male occupant, who had suffered smoke inhalation and exposure to the fire, had to be assisted from the home by Waterbury Fire Department personnel and was placed in the care of emergency medical services.

However, the case immediately took a turn when police began to speak with the man.

"While receiving medical care, the male victim disclosed to first responders that he had intentionally set the fire in his upstairs room, stating, I wanted my freedom," officials said in their statement regarding the case.

The victim reportedly used printer paper for kindling, hand sanitizer for fuel and a lighter.

He further alleged that he had been held captive by Sullivan since he was approximately 11 years old.

"Following these alarming statements, the Waterbury Police Department Major Crimes Unit, in collaboration with the Waterbury States Attorneys Office, launched an extensive investigation," authorities continued. "Detectives determined that the victim had been held in captivity for over 20 years, enduring prolonged abuse, starvation, severe neglect, and inhumane treatment."

The 32-year-old was also found in a "severely emaciated condition and had not received medical or dental care" during his time in captivity inside the home over the past two decades, according to police.

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

As a result of the investigation, Sullivan was identified as a suspect, and an arrest warrant was issued on Tuesday.

Sullivan was located by police on Wednesday and taken into police custody by the Waterbury Police Department on charges of 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, police said.

'Locked in ... 22 to 24 hours a day'

The man, now officially called "Male Victim 1," remembered in his early years sneaking out of his room at night for food and drink due to hunger, according to the affidavit.

By fourth grade, he explained, he was asking other people for food. Stealing it. Picking it out of the garbage.

After his food wrappings were found, he started getting locked in his room. His school repeatedly notified authorities, the document says, and while he was in fourth grade, state social workers twice did wellness checks.

Sullivan told him to claim he was OK, he said.

Eventually, the stepmother permanently pulled him out of school and only let him leave his room for chores, according to police interviews.

"When asked how often this routine was, he stated 'nearly every day,'" the affidavit says.

When he was around 14 or 15, he went with his father to dispose of yard waste, the affidavit reads. It was the last time he left the property.

Then his father died, and the alleged captivity got even more restrictive, he told police.

"(The man) stated that it got to a point where the only time he would ever be out of the house once his father died was to let the family dog out in the back of the property. Stating it was only about 1 minute a day. Essentially, (he) was locked in his room between 22 to 24 hours a day," according to the affidavit.

After the fire, Sullivan was arrested. She faces charges, including for assault, kidnapping and cruelty, police said.

Her take on what happened is different.

'Ms. Sullivan is presumed innocent'

All that's been alleged, her lawyer told reporters Wednesday outside court, is "absolutely not true."

"He was not locked in a room. She did not restrain him in any way," attorney Ioannis Kaloidis said. "She provided food. She provided shelter. She is blown away by these allegations."

She is being held on $300,000 bond, state Correction Department records show.

"Ms. Sullivan is presumed innocent," Kaloidis told CNN in a statement. "The warrant details allegations that must be proven at trial. My client maintains her innocence and looks forward to clearing her name."

After the fire, an officer who saw the man described him as "extremely emaciated."

He stood 5-foot-9 and weighed 70 pounds. All his teeth looked rotten. But he could talk. And according to the affidavit, he told first responders:

"I wanted my freedom."

Waterbury's police chief called the man's 20 years of suffering "heartbreaking and unimaginable."

"This case required relentless investigative effort, and I commend the dedication of our officers and the Waterbury State's Attorney's Office," Chief Fernando Spagnolo said in a statement.

While performing search warrants, the affidavit says, police found plywood and a lock on the door to the man's room.

ABC News and CNN contributed to this report.