Bodycam in Connecticut house of horrors shows suspect after stepson’s fiery escape

close Video

Police question Kimberly Sullivan at scene of fire

Kimberly Sullivan tells police her stepson, whom she allegedly locked in a storage closet for 20 years, was free to leave the room as he pleased. (Courtesy: Waterbury Police Department)

Join Fox News for access to this content You have reached your maximum number of articles. Log in or create an account FREE of charge to continue reading. By entering your email and pushing continue, you are agreeing to Fox News’ Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, which includes our Notice of Financial Incentive. Please enter a valid email address. By entering your email and pushing continue, you are agreeing to Fox News’ Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, which includes our Notice of Financial Incentive. Having trouble? Click here.

Bodycam footage from the Waterbury Police Department shows suspected Connecticut child abuser Kimberly Sullivan denying that her stepson, who was allegedly locked in a storage closet in their home for 20 years, was imprisoned in the house. 

According to the footage obtained by Fox News Digital, one of Sullivan’s two daughters arrived at the scene shortly after authorities on Feb. 17, when police said her 32-year-old stepson set fire in the house to escape decades of captivity and abuse.

Sullivan’s daughter picked her up in a black Acura, where they waited nearby as firefighters extinguished the blaze, and as Sullivan’s unnamed stepson was rescued from the home. 

In the footage, which is partially redacted, Sullivan, 56, explains to an officer what happened after the fire started. 

‘MALNOURISHED’ MAN HELD CAPTIVE BY STEPMOM FOR DECADES SET FIRE TO HOME TO ESCAPE: ‘I WANTED MY FREEDOM’

Kimberly Sullivan was arrested after allegedly abusing her stepson in their Waterbury, Connecticut home. (Jim Shannon/Hearst Connecticut Media via AP)

She said that she thought the fire started from a TV her stepson plugged into the wall, and said that she came out of her bedroom when she smelled smoke and called out for him.   

“I was trying to go into the room but it was just – there were just flames – he came out of the room, eventually woke up and came out of the room,” she said. 

Sullivan said that her son couldn’t escape the room because there were flames, but that he must have walked through them eventually.  

“Was the door locked on his room, or no?” the officer asked. 

“No,” Sullivan replied. 

“OK, is it normally locked?” he asked.

“No,” she answered. 

“And he has free rein to go out of there whenever he wants?” the detective asked. 

“Yeah,” Sullivan said. 

But police allege that Sullivan was lying during that exchange. 

MAN DESCRIBES SHOCKING LIVING CONDITIONS HE ENDURED DURING 20-YEAR HOME CAPTIVITY: ‘UNIMAGINABLE’

This photo provided by the Waterbury Police Department shows Kimberly Sullivan, who was charged Wednesday, March 12, 2025, with kidnapping and cruelty for allegedly holding her 32-year-old stepson captive for more than 20 years.  (Waterbury Police Department via AP)

Sullivan was arrested on March 12 and charged with first-degree assault, second-degree kidnapping, first-degree unlawful restraint, cruelty to persons and first-degree reckless endangerment. She is free on $300,000 bond, and pleaded not guilty to all charges on Friday. 

According to an arrest warrant for Sullivan, the victim, identified as “Male Victim 1,” was held in a windowless 8-foot by 9-foot storage closet with no air conditioning or heat and without access to a bathroom for 20 years. He was kept inside the closet 22-24 hours per day.

He was allowed two sandwiches and two small water bottles each day, one of which he would use for bathing. He disposed of his waste using water bottles and newspaper. The man weighed less than 70 pounds when first responders found him after the fire.

That warrant also says that Sullivan’s stepson told them he set the fire on purpose, because he wanted his freedom. 

“A CHILD CALLED ‘IT'” AUTHOR SAYS CONNECTICUT HOUSE OF HORRORS CASE IS ‘ATTEMPTED MURDER’

Kimberly Sullivan is taken into custody by the Waterbury Police Department on March 12. (Waterbury Police Department)

Fox News Digital also obtained Sullivan’s distraught 911 call reporting that her house was on fire.

LISTEN: Kimberly Sullivan calls 911 to report house fire

Video

More bodycam footage shows a police officer arriving to the scene and yelling at an unidentified person through a window, telling the person to exit the home. 

WATCH: Waterbury officer yells at person to exit burning home

Video

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

In a heavily redacted portion of the bodycam footage, police officers can be seen standing outside the ambulance looking in at the victim, who is blurred and being tended to by a paramedic. When audio reemerges from the redaction, one officer tells another that the victim said he hadn’t showered in a year. 

WATCH: Kimberly Sullivan’s stepson interviewed by police in ambulance

Video

Another video shows a frantic Sullivan asking to go back into the house to retrieve her purse and her keys, so she can put her dog inside her car.

WATCH: Kimberly Sullivan frantically asks to retrieve purse from burning home

Video

Police previously released footage showing Sullivan’s stepson being carried out of the home and into an ambulance. 

Fox News Digital reached out to Sullivan’s attorney Ioannis Kaloidis through a spokesperson. 

Peter D’Abrosca joined Fox News Digital in 2025 after four years as a politics reporter at The Tennessee Star. 

He grew up in Rhode Island and is a graduate of Elon University. 

Follow Peter on X at @pmd_reports. Send story tips to peter.dabrosca@fox.com.