WATERBURY, Conn. (WTNH) — The Waterbury woman accused of holding her stepson captive for several decades pleaded not guilty in Waterbury Superior Court on Friday.
The presiding judge also decided Kimberly Sullivan will be outfitted with a GPS tracking monitor/bracelet, but will not be subject to house arrest.
Sullivan was released after posting bond two weeks ago and has been on intensive pretrial supervision. She’s facing multiple charges, including assault and kidnapping.
When entering the “not guilty” plea on her behalf, Sullivan’s attorney Ioannis Kaloidis opted for a jury trial.
During the proceeding, the judge mentioned Sullivan was admitted to a hospital for mental health reasons at some point since her last court appearance.
Sullivan had appeared in court on Wednesday, but the hearing was continued to Friday after the state prosecutor said they intended to file a motion to add conditions to her release.
On Friday, News 8 obtained the defense’s objection to the prosecution’s motion for Sullivan to have GPS monitoring. See the full document below.
The motion argues, in part, that “imposing additional conditions of release without sufficient justification poses a serious threat to this presumption by suggesting, without evidence or cause, that the defendant has either engaged in misconduct or presents some increased risk.”
During the court hearing Friday, Assistant State’s Attorney Donald Therkildsen said they spoke with the now 32-year-old victim, who told them he continues to live in fear.
“His first question in his fear is ‘why is she out walking around while I was locked up in a room for 20 years?’,” he said.
According to police, the man was starved, abused, and locked in a small room for most of his life. He set his room on fire to escape over 20 years of captivity. When he was examined according to court documents, the 5’9″ man weighed under 70 pounds, and he was malnourished and emaciated.
Outside the courthouse Friday, Kaloidis said he’s fighting to keep court proceedings impartial.
“I know everyone wants to crucify her, everyone has already convicted her, but that’s not how this works. And it’s not how it’s going to work. The burden is not going to shift to the defense, the burden rests on the state,” Kaloidis said. “They’ve got to prove these allegations in court. And we’re a long way from that.”
The victim has received an outpouring of support from the Waterbury community and beyond, including raising roughly $200,000 for him.
In a statement released later Friday, Kaloidis released the following statement, “While we respect today’s decision by the Court, we stand firmly behind the arguments we put forth. I urge everyone to remember what the Judge made clear on the record, that the allegations facing Ms. Sullivan are just that – allegations. We are confident that the facts of this case and the evidence to be presented, will make it crystal clear to a jury that Ms. Sullivan is not the monster that some in the public and the media portray her to be.”
His biological mother spoke to media before Friday’s proceeding.
“What does justice look like? That everybody that was in that household is in prison in solitary confinement and they can be fed two cups of water a day,” Tracy Vallerand said.
The next court date in this case is scheduled for April 22.
On Friday, the Department of Children and Families also issued a statement saying they’ve found documents related to the family, after initially coming up dry in a preliminary search. The victim was allegedly 11 when the captivity started.
“We have met with the Waterbury Police Department and engaged in discussions with the Office of the Child Advocate to advise them of our actions and will provide them a copy of the records once we have completed our search and review of them. Several meetings have also been held with bipartisan Legislators,” DCF Commissioner Jodi Hill-Lilly said.
News 8 livestreamed the court proceeding. Watch it in the video player above.