WATERBURY, Conn. (Court TV) — A woman accused of holding her stepson captive in their home for decades appeared in court as her attorney asked for information about the alleged victim in the case to be revealed.
Kimberly Sullivan appeared at a pretrial hearing on Oct. 3, 2025. (Court TV)
Kimberly Sullivan is facing multiple charges, including assault, kidnapping and cruelty to persons, after her 32-year-old stepson claimed he was held captive in their home for 20 years. Her stepson, who, in a statement released after charges were filed against Sullivan, asked to be called “S”, allegedly set fire to the family’s home in February in an effort to escape.
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Sullivan, who was released from jail after posting a $300,000 bond, has requested that the judge modify the conditions of her release. She is currently on a GPS monitor; her attorneys argue that the device is not needed and “unnecessarily burdensome,” telling the judge that the device has had frequent issues and has had to be replaced multiple times.
While one of the conditions of Sullivan’s release is to have no contact with the alleged victim, her attorney filed a motion with the court asking for his new identity and address to be revealed. While the protective order lists the victim’s address as the home where he was allegedly held captive, Sullivan’s attorney said the house is now vacant and she should be allowed to return to the property. To that end, her attorneys want the order to be updated with his current address.
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Prosecutors have asked the judge to bar Sullivan’s attorneys from revealing the alleged victim’s new identity to her, which Sullivan’s defense calls a violation of the Sixth Amendment right to confront her accuser. Her defense accused prosecutors of unfairly elevating “the accuser’s ‘rights’ over the defendant’s constitutional protections. … Coddling the accuser by withholding his name — absent any privilege to do so — destroys the ‘public’ nature underpinning the right to a public trial.”
Sullivan’s attorneys also suggested that withholding the accuser’s new identity could interfere with the defendant’s ability to fully participate in her defense. “The accuser’s choice of alias and new identity no doubt holds special meaning to him. The defendant, as his stepmother, knows him and knows his personality. The accuser’s new name might be symbolic, may be based on a character from comics or popular culture familiar to both, and may provide deep insight into his biases and motivation for manufacturing the fire and in accusing the defendant of wrongdoing. For example, what if the new name is based upon a fictional character known to lie or engage in deception? What if it is rooted in a fantasy personality the accuser assumed when he was caught in a lie? What if its true meaning is only something that she would know? What if he purposely selected an alias with the intent of goading or threatening her?”
Sullivan appeared with her attorney on Friday at a brief hearing, where a future hearing was scheduled to argue the motions on Oct. 31.
