Using paper and hand sanitizer to escape 20 years of imprisonment by stepmother

(CLO) Locked up for nearly 20 years, a man in Connecticut, USA, set himself on fire with printing paper and hand sanitizer to escape, revealing the tragedy of prolonged imprisonment and abuse.

On February 17, Waterbury, Connecticut police responded to a report of a house fire. When they arrived at the scene, they found Kimberly Sullivan and her 32-year-old stepson. The woman escaped unharmed, while her son suffered injuries from smoke inhalation and exposure to fire.

Shockingly, the man himself started the fire. He told police that he had been held captive by his stepmother for nearly 20 years in a locked, plywood-lined room. He was given only two sandwiches and a little water each day.

The fire was meticulously planned: printer paper for kindling, hand sanitizer for fuel, and a lighter he found in his late father’s jacket. When he was rescued, he weighed only 70 pounds, his hair was disheveled, his body was dirty, and his teeth were almost completely rotten.

Kimberly Sullivan was arrested on March 12. Photo: Waterbury Police Department

According to the investigation, this man was locked up by his stepmother since he was a child, forbidden to have contact with the outside world and only allowed to leave his room to do housework. He was never allowed to have friends and was only allowed to have fun on Halloween. The last time he went trick-or-treating was when he was 12 years old. He dressed as a fireman.

When he was about 14 or 15, he went with his father to take out yard waste. That was the last time he left the house, although he was allowed out of his small room every day for anywhere from 15 minutes to a few hours.

His father died in January 2024, making his confinement even more severe. He was only allowed out for a few minutes each day to let his dog out. The rest of the time, he was locked in his room for 22 to 24 hours.

Police have arrested Kimberly Sullivan on charges of assault, kidnapping and cruelty. However, her lawyer insists the allegations are “completely untrue” and she did not hold the victim captive.

The victim is currently in stable condition at a medical facility and will undergo a physical and mental rehabilitation process. Waterbury city officials have raised money to buy him clothes, books and other necessary items to help him reintegrate into life.

Ngoc Anh (according to WFSB, CNN)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/dung-giay-va-nuoc-rua-tay-de-tron-thoat-sau-20-nam-bi-me-ke-giam-cam-va-doi-xu-tan-ac-post338650.html