Police Release Photos of Home Where Man Says He Was Held Captive

Connecticut police have released more than 100 photos showing the inside of a home where a 32-year-old man said he started a fire in a desperate attempt to free himself from more than 20 years of captivity. The man, whose name has not been disclosed, was emaciated and weighed only 69 pounds when he was rescued from the two-story house in Waterbury after starting the fire on Feb. 17. He said he was locked in a small room for most of every day and given limited food and water since he was about 11 years old. He is recovering under medical care at an undisclosed location.

• The photos, obtained by the AP through a public records request late Monday, show a cluttered home with fire damage on the second floor, where the man said he was held captive. Some of the photos show a door frame with a metal slide lock, matching a police description of a lock they said was on the outside of the door to the man's room. Waterbury police said Tuesday that they could not provide information on what each photo shows.

• One photo of a second-story room heavily damaged by fire shows burned walls and carpet with numerous items on the floor, including photos, boxes, bags, what appears to be a blanket, and a baseball-like pennant with hearts that says "Kim."
• The man's stepmother, Kimberly Sullivan, is charged with kidnapping, felony assault, cruelty to persons, and other crimes. She and her lawyer have denied that she kept the man locked in a room and she has pleaded not guilty. Sullivan told police that the man was free to move about the house as he pleased, according to an arrest warrant. The man's father died last year.

• Sullivan's attorney, Ioannis Kaloidis, said in a statement to local media Tuesday that the release of the photos was "shocking, offensive and quite frankly, ethically questionable. It only serves to solidify public opinion against Ms. Sullivan."
• The man said he was locked in a room measuring about 8 feet by 9 feet and was only let out briefly in the morning to do chores. He said he was given up to two sandwiches and two small bottles of water a day and was constantly hungry. More on the case here.

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