A Connecticut man made a harrowing escape after being held captive by his stepmother for 20 years from the time he was only 11 years old.
Throughout the years, the man was only given two sandwiches: egg, tuna salad, or peanut butter. He was also given a small amount of water every day inside the small storage space where he was held.
Held Captive for 20 Years
His escape plan involved using printer paper as kindling, hand sanitizer as fuel, and a lighter. Because of his actions, emergency personnel responded to the home on Feb. 17, 2025, after receiving reports of a burning house in Waterbury, Connecticut.
They then found a woman and her 32-year-old stepson, the former of whom was identified as Kimberly Sullivan. Police said that she was able to get out of the home safely in time, but the man was not as lucky and was affected by smoke inhalation and exposure to the flames, according to CNN.
After being questioned by police, the man then admitted that he was responsible for starting the fire at the home. This was because he wanted his freedom back after being held captive by his stepmother for two decades.
He told law enforcement personnel about his circumstances and described a life of "captivity, abuse, and starvation." Waterbury Police Chief Fred Spagnolo said that this was the worst treatment of humanity that he has ever witnessed in his 33 years of law enforcement.
Now, the biological mother of the man has spoken out after finding out about what happened to his son. She said that she is proud of him for having the courage to try and escape, adding that his captor can "rot in hell," Yahoo News reported.
Prolonged Abuse
When police found the man after he escaped his captivity, he was severely emaciated due to being subjected to prolonged abuse, starvation, and inhumane treatment. His biological mother said she had been looking for signs of him after giving up custody when he was still a baby.
The biological mother said that her sister called her while she was at work, saying that they found her son. When she found out about the whole situation, she said she was heartbroken and could not fathom what had happened to her son.
She said that she wants to tell her son that he has a big sister and that they have been trying to find him for the past decade. The biological mother added that she waited until her son was 18 years old before looking for him but did not find any signs of him until now, as per NBC News.
