"Now I decide for myself" Man abused by his stepmother for 20 years - now he speaks for the first time
The man from the USA, who was abused by his stepmother for over 20 years, speaks to the public for the first time in a letter.
No time? blue News summarizes for you
- A 32-year-old man from Connecticut (USA), who was held captive by his stepmother for over 20 years, has spoken out publicly for the first time.
- In a letter to the media, "S" shows gratitude to helpers.
- "S" deliberately set a fire in February 2025 to free himself; he was found severely malnourished in a tiny room.
- A fundraising campaign has already raised over 270,000 dollars for the rehabilitation of "S". His stepmother has been released on bail of 300,000 dollars.
After more than two decades of silence, the 32-year-old man from Connecticut, who was held captive in a small room by his stepmother, has spoken out publicly for the first time. In a written statement released through the organization Survivors Say, he identifies himself as "S" and describes himself as a "survivor of more than 20 years of captivity and domestic violence."
In a letter, the man addresses the media for the first time:
"Please call me 'S'. This is not the name my parents gave me at birth. I am choosing a new name for myself and, in taking back control of my life and my future, I will use it. My name is my choice, and it is the first of many choices I will make for myself now that I am free."
"I have survived more than 20 years of captivity and violence. I was held captive in my home from the time I was 11 years old, when I was in fourth grade, until two months ago, at the age of 31, when I intentionally set the fire that helped free me."
«To all the healthcare professionals who helped and cared for me, thank you»
In his letter to the media
"I am speaking out today to reclaim my life and have a say in how my story is told. I feel much better and stronger than the day the first responders carried me from my home. I am immensely grateful for the care I have received since then. To all the healthcare professionals who helped and cared for me, thank you. In addition to all of your care, I appreciate the opportunity to celebrate my very first birthday party, on the occasion of my 32nd birthday."
"I would also like to thank the first responders, law enforcement investigators and everyone who is working to bring those responsible for my abuse to justice. Thank you to everyone at Safe Haven Waterbury and to everyone who donated on the GoFundMe page, which will help me cover some of the overwhelming costs I will face in the weeks, months and years to come."
The release after 20 years
His release took place in February 2025 after he deliberately set a fire in the house in Waterbury to draw attention to his predicament. The fire department found him severely malnourished - at 1.75 meters tall, he weighed just 31 kilograms - and in a critical state of health.
"S" only got two glasses of water a day from his mother, so he drank from the toilet.
Image: Waterbury Police Department
To free himself, "S" started a fire so that he could be rescued.
Image: Waterbury Police Department
Because "S" was very malnourished, he ate from the garbage. The house where the stiff mother kept "S" was called the "Horror House" of Waterbury.
Image: Waterbury Police Department
"S" only got two glasses of water a day from his mother, so he drank from the toilet.
Image: Waterbury Police Department
To free himself, "S" started a fire so that he could be rescued.
Image: Waterbury Police Department
Because "S" was very malnourished, he ate from the garbage. The house where the stiff mother kept "S" was called the "Horror House" of Waterbury.
Image: Waterbury Police Department
"S" described how he had been held in an 8-square-meter room with sloping ceilings, without heating or air conditioning, since he was eleven years old. He drank water from the toilet because his stepmother had only given him two glasses of water. In his situation, the man began to eat from the garbage. Some of his teeth were broken or already rotten.
The police charged his stepmother, Kimberly Sullivan (56), with aggravated assault, kidnapping and abuse. She denies the charges and was released on bail of 300,000 dollars.
270,000 donations for the victim
A fundraising campaign on "GoFundMe" has so far raised over 270,000 dollars for S's rehabilitation.
The case has triggered a debate in the USA about the authorities' duty of supervision. Although teachers raised the alarm back in 2005 when "S" was conspicuously malnourished at school and the Department of Children and Families (DCF) was called in, the boy remained unharmed after two home visits. He was taken out of school and disappeared from the public eye.
"S" asks for privacy and urges the public to respect the ongoing investigation. He hopes that his story will encourage other victims to seek help and speak out.
Are you or has someone you know been a victim of sexualized violence or cyberbullying?
You can find help here:
- Pro Juventute, counseling for children and young people, phone 147
- Network "Prevention of sexualized violence in the leisure sector"
- Dargebotene Hand, worry hotline, telephone 143
- Information and further links on the topic of cyberbullying
Do you or does someone you know have a mental illness? You can find help here:
- Pro Mente Sana, phone 0848 800 858
- Kinderseele Schweiz, counseling for mentally distressed parents and their relatives
- Postpartum Depression Association, telephone 044 720 25 55
- Angehörige.ch, advice and contact points
- VASK, regional associations for relatives
- Swiss Self-Help Foundation, coordination and service center for regional self-help centers
- Pro Juventute, advice for children and young people, telephone 147
- Dargebotene Hand, worry hotline, telephone 143
- Anxiety and Panic Help Switzerland, phone 0848 801 109
