CT Judge Grants ‘Monster’ Stepmother Who Imprisoned Boy for 20 Years Rights to His Identity

WATERBURY, CT - A horrific case out of Connecticut took another bizarre turn this week when the stepmother accused of imprisoning her stepson in squalid conditions for two decades is arguing that his identity should be revealed, The New York Post reports. 

Kimberly Sullivan, 57, was scheduled to appear in Waterbury Superior Court on Friday to contest prosecutors’ request to keep the identity of her now-32-year-old stepson hidden from her and the public. The state is arguing that this is necessary for his own safety. 

Sullivan, however, argues that she has the right to confront her accuser, who told investigators she locked him in a storage closet for 22 hours a day since he was 11. 

Sullivan’s attorney, Ioannis Kaloidis, wrote in a motion: 

“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 was far less diplomatic in an October court appearance:

“We believe there is absolutely no reason whatsoever to shield the accuser from my client. In fact, my client has the right to come to the confrontation, has the right to confront her accuser in a public setting,” he said, according to NBC Connecticut.

The victim assumed a new name after he was rescued from the fetid Waterbury house in February. Firefighters responded to the home after it was deliberately set on fire so the victim could escape. Since that time, he has been identified only as “S,” and his new home has also been kept secret. 

When firefighters rescued him, he weighed only 68 pounds. He then told the horrific story about being pulled out of school as a boy, starved and deprived of water. He was only allowed out of his room to complete chores around the home for one or two hours per day. 

The victim’s biological mother, who has attended every court hearing since her son was found, is repulsed by Sullivan’s attempts to confront her son. 

“They need to keep that thing away from my son,” Tracy Vallerand told The Post. 

“I think it’s appalling. 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,” she said. “It’s appalling that they even had the audacity to request that.” 

Some have questioned why Vallerand showed up now after so many years. She said she left her son with his father after they split because she “had issues back then,” although she didn’t say what those issues were. She said she thought her ex and his family would be a safe place for him to be, and said she couldn’t fathom the “disgusting” things that ended up happening to him. 

“[His] family, none of them had ever, ever been like this. They were a family-oriented group, dinner with family on Sundays, holidays with the family,” Vallerand said of her ex-husband. “I thought it would be in my son’s well-being to stay with his father.” 

Sullivan’s defense team, however, contends it was the victim’s father, not Vallerand, who was in charge of how he was raised. Vallerand called that “predictable” since the father died a year ago and cannot defend himself. 

“If there was any inkling whatsoever that he would be in harm’s way with his father, his father wouldn’t have had him,” she said. 

Vallerand has not yet heard from her son, although she has reached out to him. She said she doesn’t want to put pressure on him. 

“This is on his terms. Again, he’s 32 years old, so he’s an adult now,” she said. “I’m not going to force myself on him.” 

“I think he’s had enough issues and trust issues with his past family,” Vallerand added. 

Sullivan was able to post $300,000 shortly after her March arrest; however, she has been subject to GPS monitoring and has a no-contact order prohibiting her from going near the victim. 

A judge allowed Sullivan to return to the home where the abuse occurred, although the fire left it uninhabitable. She has sought to have the GPS monitor removed and is trying to prevent the victim from having a say in her release conditions. The Friday hearing included a motion by the prosecution to hide the victim’s medical records. According to WFSB-3, that motion was denied, and Sullivan was granted access to his records. 

In addition, Judge Corinne Klatt granted the defense motion to reveal the victim’s name and address, noting that she has a “constitutional right” to such information, News 12 reported, despite strong objections from the state’s attorney’s office. Klatt, however, issued a stern warning to Sullivan. 

“Ms. Sullivan, I’m telling you right now, you can speak to your lawyers about the information they give you. You cannot speak to anyone else,” Klatt said. “If this information gets out in the media, to the press, in any way, shape, or form, I guarantee to you, the police will be able to locate how that happened.” 

The judge ruled in favor of Sullivan despite Assistant State’s Attorney Don Therkildsen’s plea to keep it hidden. 

“The victim is terrified of this defendant,” he said. “The allegation is, he was literally almost dead when he made his mistake.” 

Kaloidis was indifferent when speaking about the release of the victim’s information. 

“It’s not my job to reassure him. I don’t care about his feelings, Kaloidis told reporters. “My job is to represent my client. We should be talking about the law, not somebody’s feelings.”