Kimberly Sullivan, 56, is accused of holding her unnamed 32-year-old stepson captive in her dwelling for the previous twenty years. The suspect was arrested on Wednesday, and charged with assault within the first diploma, kidnapping within the second diploma, illegal restraint within the first diploma, cruelty to individuals and reckless endangerment within the first diploma.

The alleged abuse was found after authorities responded to a fireplace within the dwelling — which Sullivan’s 32-year-old stepson, who weighed simply 68 kilos, mentioned he “deliberately” began as a way to “freedom.”

Lawyer Ioannis A. Kaloidis mentioned Kregg Sullivan — who died in 2024 — “was in management” of the state of affairs and was the one who determined to restrict his son to a 8-foot by 9-foot room beginning on the age of 11.

“In the end it was the daddy which dictated the way by which his son was raised and my consumer was solely finishing up his orders,” Kaloidis advised PEOPLE, earlier than additionally denying the stepson’s claims that he wasn’t allowed to bathe. “My consumer inspired him to wash however she is just not going to pressure a 32-year-old man to handle himself,” Kaloidis mentioned.

The legal professional additionally claimed the person was by no means locked in his room and left the home day by day for chores, like taking the trash. Per Kaloidis, “He may have simply walked away then if he needed to depart.”

“This is only one aspect of the story and other people mustn’t rush to judgment. These allegations are horrific however there are two sides to each story, and my consumer plans to defend herself in opposition to these allegations,” Kaloidis concluded.

Whereas Sullivan’s lawyer is shifting blame to her late husband, the stepson spoke extra favorable about him when speaking to police concerning the alleged abuse.

In response to Sullivan’s arrest affidavit, the person acknowledged that he would “be let loose of his room for longer durations of time by his father” and claimed “that whereas Sullivan took his sisters to occasions and to see pals, his father would permit him to come back out and watch tv with him.”

“[He] acknowledged that there have been additionally occasions when his father would let him go outdoors with him to work within the yard,” although mentioned the final time he left the property was when he was round 14 or 15, accompanying his father to “dump yard waste.”

“When discussing his father dying, he acknowledged that his captivity and restraint received even worse,” mentioned police. “[He] acknowledged that it received to some extent the place the one time he would ever be out of the home as soon as since his father died was to let the household canine out behind the property.”

That, he mentioned, solely amounted to “about 1 minute a day.”

He additionally claimed he had not bathed in a yr or two — and mentioned he would save a few of his consuming water to wash himself in his bed room room. The person additionally mentioned he wasn’t given cleaning soap. When police discovered him, he they mentioned he had thick, matted hair and claimed he hadn’t been given a haircut in three years.

The person additionally claimed he was “compelled” to urinate into water bottles, emptying them via a sequence of straws that went via a gap within the window. He mentioned he defecated on newspaper he positioned on the bottom, throwing it into the kitchen rubbish “when he was let loose to do chores.”

Sullivan was launched Thursday after posting $300,000 bail; she’s due again in courtroom on March 26.

If you’re experiencing or witness youngster abuse, name the Childhelp Nationwide Youngster Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Youngster or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. When you imagine a baby is in rapid hazard, name 911.