Connecticut police have revealed photos of the inside of the home where they say a man was held captive for more than 20 years by his stepmom.
On February 17, the man made a daring escape from the home by setting fire to the room authorities say he was held captive in. When rescued by firefighters, the 5'9" man weighed about 68 pounds. According to police, the 32-year-old man was held since the age of 11.
Bodycam footage released by the Waterbury police department shows the man being carried to safety while his stepmother, Kimberly Sullivan, 56, looks on.
Sullivan faces several charges, including kidnapping in the second degree, assault, and unlawful restraint. Sullivan has pleaded not guilty to the charges and her attorney, Ioannis Kaloidis, said the pictures released by authorities do not support the charges.
"Where are the handcuffs? Where are the chains? Where are the signs of restraint? Those pictures raise a lot of questions if you look at them objectively," he told CNN.
The photos show a house in a state of disrepair, cluttered and filthy. The room where police say the man is kept is charred from his fire escape. The police photos include closeups of boards and other materials with measurements, including door hinges and a closeup of the door lock.
Safe Haven of Greater Waterbury established a GoFundMe for the man. Thus far, it has raised more than $200,000. The money is going to help pay a variety of expenses, including medical care, dental care, counseling, and physical therapy, and to assist with housing costs and daily living expenses while "he rebuilds his independence."
