Summarize this content to 2000 words in 6 paragraphs Law enforcement uncovered the alleged abuse carried out by Kimberly Sullivan on Wednesday, but the motivation behind her actions remains unclear.Sullivan, a 56-year-old Connecticut woman, has been charged with assault, kidnapping, unlawful restraint, cruelty and reckless endangerment. She is accused of keeping her stepson captive for 20 years. Sullivan’s attorney, Ioannis Kaloidis, said his client “vehemently” denies the allegations.Newsweek spoke to two forensic psychologists about the potential psychology behind the alleged abuse.The ContextThe Waterbury Police Department and the Waterbury Fire Department responded to a report of an active fire at a home on February 17. Sullivan and her 32-year-old stepson were inside.Sullivan escaped safely, while her stepson needed to be assisted out of the residence. While receiving medical care for smoke inhalation, he told first responders that he had intentionally set the fire in his room, stating, “I wanted my freedom.” He said he had been held captive by Sullivan since he was 11 years old.Authorities said the man was “severely emaciated,” dirty, and had matted hair and teeth that appeared to be rotted.
Kimberly Sullivan being taken into custody in Connecticut on March 12, 2025, after allegedly holding her 32-year-old stepson captive since he was 11.
Kimberly Sullivan being taken into custody in Connecticut on March 12, 2025, after allegedly holding her 32-year-old stepson captive since he was 11.
Waterbury Police Department via AP
What To KnowDr. John Fabian, a forensic and clinical neuropsychologist, spoke to Newsweek about the factors that could lead an individual to abuse others.”I’ve had cases where the father figure was abusive to the mother, and this led to neglect and abuse by [the] mother,” Fabian said.Fabian said that, if this reasoning was correct, Sullivan’s case is complicated by the fact that the victim’s father died last year. “At this point, her ex was dead, so she could not be harmed by him anymore,” Fabian said.Sullivan could also have been a victim of abuse during her childhood, according to Fabian. “Often, we want to look certainly at the woman’s own upbringing and childhood and whether she had been abused,” he said.In “very rare” cases, there can be a shared psychotic disorder between the parents, known as folie à deux, said Fabian. The parents could have shared a delusion that their child is “evil and they must keep him captive.”Dr. David Hayes, a criminologist specializing in criminal behavior with a Ph.D. and master’s in forensic psychology, told Newsweek that the prevalence of abuse by a stepparent on a stepchild is “much higher” than abuse by a genetic parent on a genetic child.”Alienating and treating the stepchild as the ‘other’ and not part of the family is, sadly, relatively commonplace. This is a very extreme version of that,” Hayes said.”It hasn’t been widely explored, but a concept called Cinderella Stepmother’s Syndrome is something that can apply here,” Hayes said. “According to research, it manifests when a stepparent has fears about placement within the family, their own ineffectiveness, anxiety, and hostility toward the living and breathing proof that there was a family before they arrived.”Hayes said if the allegations are true, this would be a “very extreme” version of Cinderella Stepmother’s Syndrome.”If true, I would assume that the Cinderella’s Stepmother Syndrome is comorbid with a personality disorder (maybe something akin to borderline personality disorder) or even a pathological issue,” Hayes said.Fabian spoke about what could have compelled Sullivan to continue the alleged abuse despite the possibility of being caught.”There may just be some inherent gratification of making this child suffer,” Fabian said. “I’m not sure about what type of obsessive thinking she may have and what kind of goal or objective she would have in doing this.”What People Are SayingWaterbury Police Chief Fernando Spagnolo, in a statement: “The suffering this victim endured for over 20 years is both 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. Their unwavering commitment ensured that justice is served, and the perpetrator is held fully accountable for these horrific crimes.”Supervisory Assistant State’s Attorney Don Therkildsen, per Greenwich Time: “The facts of this case, quite frankly, the facts are something out of a horror movie. That’s without exaggeration.”What Happens NextSullivan’s next court hearing is scheduled for March 26, according to court records.Do you have a story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have any questions about this story? Contact LiveNews@newsweek.com.
