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Connecticut man allegedly held captive for over 20 years speaks out: ‘I reclaim control’

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Connecticut man allegedly held captive for over 20 years speaks out: ‘I reclaim control’


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The man who police say was held captive in his Connecticut home for more than two decades is speaking out, saying in a public statement on Tuesday that he is “much better and stronger” after his rescue.

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Kimberly Sullivan, 56, was arrested in March after Waterbury police said she held her 32-year-old stepson in captivity and subjected him to “prolonged abuse, starvation, severe neglect, and inhumane treatment.” She has pleaded not guilty to charges of first-degree assault, second-degree kidnapping, first-degree unlawful restraint, cruelty to persons and first-degree reckless endangerment.

The stepson, who identified himself only as S, said in the statement that he was “choosing a new name for himself.”

“Please call me ‘S.’ This is not the name given to me by my parents when I was born … I will use that name as I reclaim control over my life and my future,” the man said in a statement posted on Facebook by his representation, David Gaurino of Survivors Say.

Safe Haven of Greater Waterbury set up a GoFundMe to help S with medical and dental care, as well as legal fees and housing expenses.

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Here’s what else S had to say.

S: ‘I am much better and stronger’

In the statement posted on Facebook, the man said he was a survivor of more than two decades of abuse after being taken out of school in the fourth grade when he was 11 and held against his will until he was 32.

He was freed by firefighters after he managed to set his house on fire back in February.

While being treated, the stepson told first responders that he intentionally set the fire in his upstairs room using a lighter, hand sanitizer and paper, stating: “I wanted my freedom,” police said.

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“I am speaking out today to begin the process of reclaiming my life and to have my say in how my story is told,” he said in Tuesday’s statement. “I am much better and stronger than I was the day the first responders carried me out of my home.”

Police: A long time of abuse

Waterbury police’s investigation determined that the stepson was found in a “severely emaciated condition” and had not received medical or dental care throughout his captivity, the department said. Investigators also concluded that the man had been given “minimal amounts of food and water,” which contributed to him being extremely malnourished, police said.

According to an arrest warrant obtained by USA TODAY, upon exiting the home, the stepson’s hair was matted, “he was very dirty,” and all of his teeth were rotten. The stepson told police officers that Sullivan was able to keep him locked inside his bedroom because there was a lock on the outside of his door, the warrant continued.

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In Tuesday’s statement, S said that “much has already been said that tells part of the story of the abuse I endured.”

“Someday, perhaps my whole story will be told.”

Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at fernando.cervantes@gannett.com and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.



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A Character-Rich Family Home in Connecticut That Bridges Past and Present

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A Character-Rich Family Home in Connecticut That Bridges Past and Present


When a house has been loved for generations, its walls tend to hold stories. In the case of one family residence in Darien, Connecticut, that sentiment was taken quite literally. On the casement between the living room and kitchen are ticks that denote decades of growth, a quiet record of childhoods unfolding in real time. Several of those measurements belong to the home’s newest steward—the original owners’ daughter—who was ready to put her own mark on the property.

Eager to see what she could make of the 1930s structure, she and her husband tapped British-born designer Becca Casey of Connecticut-based Becca Interiors to breathe new life—and old soul—into the interior. For Casey, being entrusted with that kind of emotional patina was a privilege she didn’t take lightly. “The greatest challenge was ensuring that the new extension had synergy with the original house while bringing together the couple’s different tastes and honoring the home’s history,” Casey says of the 2,400-square-foot space.

There was a strong desire to preserve the home’s character and the memories it holds.

That delicate balance shows up everywhere, from tailored silhouettes and clean lines for him to pattern and color for her. Nowhere is that nuance more evident than in the property’s oldest room, a long, beam-lined living space that once sat largely unused. Casey swathed it in an atmospheric mural, transforming it into a multi-zone haven centered on the fireplace, with moments of repose throughout where the family can gather to play a game or enjoy a book.

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Around the home, Casey’s eye for nuance is unmistakable. She wields color, pattern, and shape with equal aplomb, expertly marrying form with function in a way that’s both timeless and fresh. A hidden television disappears behind drapery-lined cabinetry, the inner skeleton of an armchair is displayed like a work of art, a vintage dining table reveals a plaque from the husband’s hometown (a serendipitous discovery that made the piece instantly meaningful). In the end, reviving the dwelling wasn’t about reinvention for Casey—it was about the possibility that a new chapter can bring. The result is a space that, according to Casey, feels “quietly refined and effortlessly lived-in”—an elegant meeting point between memory and modern family life.

FAST FACTS:

Designer: Becca Casey, Becca Interiors

Location: Darien, Connecticut

The Space: A 1930s colonial with six bedrooms, across 2,400 square feet.


LIVING ROOM

Bare windows and a transportive wallpaper nod to the pastoral landscape.

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Kate S Jordan

Chandelier: Lostine. Rug: Stanton. Wallpaper: House of Hackney. Coffee table: Jefferson West. Rug: Stanton Carpet.

The living room is the oldest space in the house, so Casey wanted to honor its bones while streamlining the layout for modern functionality. Custom Dmitriy & Co. sofas—linen on the top, patterned French mattress tufting at the base—typify the union between “his” and “her” tastes.

Cozy sitting area with an armchair and footrest next to a window.
Kate S Jordan

Sconce: Woven Shop. Lamp: Visual Comfort & Co. Chair: custom.

Dining area with a round table and wooden chairs.
Kate S Jordan

Table: custom, Becca Interiors. Chairs: Pottery Barn.

A traditional English roll armchair was tucked into a corner at the request of the husband, whose wish list included a spot to read. Aiming for a “layered floor plan,” with distinct areas for the family’s many needs, Casey added a game table as a visual anchor with a direct sight line to the main entryway of the home.

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DEN

An original stone fireplace anchors the family-ready space.

den
Kate S Jordan

Pendant: Woka. Coffee table: LF Collection. Sconce: Hector Finch.

Cozy living room featuring a stone fireplace and vintage decor.
Kate S Jordan

Coffee table: LF Collection. Rug: Woodard Weave. Chik blinds: Joss Graham.

Drenched in French Gray paint by Farrow & Ball and grounded by the original stone fireplace, the den is carefully choreographed to support togetherness, with a custom sectional and hidden TV.


DINING ROOM

The sun-drenched space looks out to the backyard pond.

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dining room
Kate S Jordan

Paint: School House White, Farrow & Ball. Chairs: Maison Louis Drucker. Table: antique. Tablecloths: Zara Home, Cabana Home. Pedants: Lightology.

Part of the new addition, the serene dining room is flooded with light, thanks to expansive floor to (almost) ceiling windows. Layered textiles keep the antique table—a happy find, originally made in the husband’s hometown—geared toward casual meals.


PRIMARY BEDROOM

Salvaged beams mimic the look of the originals in the living room.

bedroom
Kate S Jordan

Paint: Shaded White, Farrow & Ball. Rug: Lulu and Georgia. Bedding: The Company Store. Dresser: English Farmhouse Furniture.

Inspired by Belgian interiors, the elevated placement of the fireplace isn’t just a design flex—it’s an experiential choice that puts the flames right at eye level when lounging in bed. Beside it, two vintage English armchairs stun with their exposed interior, a Becca Interiors signature touch.

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PRIMARY BATH

Natural materials were chosen for their ability to patina over time.

bathroom
Kate S Jordan

Mirror: Rejuvenation. Floor tile: Arto. Wall paint: Slipper Statin, Farrow & Ball. Sconces: O’lampia.

In the primary bathroom, wellness comes through atmosphere rather than gadgets. A Drummonds soaking tub is positioned for prime pond views, with a gray-green base (Drop Cloth, Farrow & Ball) that reinforces the room’s soothing palette.


WORKSTATION

Smart features make family management a cinch.

desk
Kate S Jordan

Roman shade: Hunter Douglas. Desk paint: Studio Green, Farrow & Ball. Chair: Soho Home. Rug: Merribrook Collection. Flushmount: RW Guild.

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To make the most of a hall nook, Casey crafted a compact desk where the wife, a teacher, can grade papers. Labeled drawers store art supplies, while a floor-to-ceiling cabinet (at side) acts as a hub for deliveries.


About the Designer

Becca Casey is the Principal Director and founder of Becca Interiors. Raised in the countryside of Southwest England, her earliest influences were rooted in history, nature, and the quiet beauty of rural life. These foundations continue to shape her design philosophy today, one that blends heritage with modern sensibility while honoring craftsmanship and the beauty of daily life at home.



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Hartford community grieves men killed in police shootings

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Hartford community grieves men killed in police shootings


The Hartford community is grappling with two police shootings that happened within eight days of each other. Both started off as mental health calls about someone in distress.

People came together to remember one of the men killed at a vigil on Wednesday evening.

With hands joined, a prayer for peace and comfort was spoken for the family of Everard Walker. He was having a mental health crisis when a family member called 211 on Feb.19.

Two mental health professionals from the state-operated Capitol Regional Mental Health Center requested Hartford police come with them to Walker’s apartment on Capitol Avenue.

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A scuffle ensued, and police said it looked like Walker was going to stab an officer. The brief fight ended with an officer shooting and killing Walker.

The family is planning to file a wrongful death lawsuit against the city.

“All I will have now is a tombstone and the voicemails he left on my phone that I listen over and over again at night just so I can fall asleep,” Menan Walker, one of Walker’s daughters, said.

City councilman Josh Michtom (WF) is asking whether police could have acted differently.

“To me, the really concerning thing is why the police were there at all, why they went into that apartment in the way that they did, in the numbers that they did,” he said.

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The president of Hartford’s police union, James Rutkauski, asked the community to hold their judgment and wait for a full investigation by the Inspector General’s office to be completed.

A different tone was taken in a statement released about another police shooting on Blue Hills Avenue on Feb. 27.

Rutkauski said the union fully supports the officer who fired at 55-year-old Steven Jones, who was holding a knife during a mental health crisis.

In part, the union’s statement says that Jones “deliberately advanced on the officer in a manner that created an immediate threat of death or serious bodily injury. This was a 100% justified use of deadly force.”

The Inspector General’s office will determine if the officer was justified following an investigation.

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The officer who shot Jones was the fourth to arrive on the scene. Three others tried to get him to drop the knife, even using a taser, before the shooting.

“It just feels like beyond the conduct of any one officer, we have this problem, which is that we send cops for every problem,” Michtom said. “I don’t know how you can de-escalate at the point of a gun.”

Jones died from his injuries on Tuesday.  

The union’s statement went on to say that officers should not be society’s default for mental health professionals. The statement said in part, “We ask for renewed commitment from our legislators to remove police from being the vanguard of what should be a mental health professional response.”

The officers involved in both shootings are on administrative leave.

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Connecticut Launches New Era for Community Hospital Care – UConn Today

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Connecticut Launches New Era for Community Hospital Care – UConn Today


Marked by a ceremonial ribbon cutting and attended by Governor Ned Lamont, state legislators, Waterbury officials, and community leaders, UConn Health celebrated the acquisition of Waterbury Hospital which as of today is now the UConn Health Waterbury Hospital.

“This is a defining moment for healthcare in Connecticut,” said Dr. Andrew Agwunobi, CEO of UConn Health Community Network.  “We now have the opportunity to take the award -winning academic quality and service of UConn Health and share it with the wonderful employees, doctors and community of Waterbury.”

Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont described the initiative as a forward-looking investment in the future of healthcare access across Connecticut.

“Connecticut is leading with innovation,” said Connecticut Governor Lamont. “The UConn Health Community Network reflects a proactive approach to strengthening community-based care by connecting it directly to the capabilities of our state’s public academic medical center. What begins in Waterbury today, represents a new model designed to expand opportunity, access, and excellence for communities statewide.”

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In addition to UConn Health Waterbury Hospital, the Network includes UConn Health Community Network Medical Group and UConn Health Waterbury Health at Home. The model preserves each member’s local identity and will grow thoughtfully over time to improve quality, expand access, and reduce the total cost of care. 

“This reflects a bold step forward in how we think about healthcare in Connecticut,” said John Driscoll, Chair of the UConn Health Board of Directors. “Today we celebrate the beginning of a new approach to community-based care. We move forward with clarity of purpose and shared commitment to serve our communities better together.”

 Comptroller Sean Scanlon highlighted the significance of the model for the long-term evolution of healthcare delivery in Connecticut. 

“This partnership represents thoughtful leadership at a pivotal time for healthcare,” said Connecticut Comptroller Sean Scanlon. “By aligning community hospitals with academic medicine, Connecticut is building a modern framework that positions our healthcare system to meet the needs of patients today and into the future.”

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“Hosting this celebration on our campus is deeply meaningful for our staff, physicians and the families we serve,” said Deborah Weymouth, President of UConn Health Waterbury Hospital. “Waterbury’s legacy of care continues, and we are tremendously proud to have a strong partner who is deeply committed to our community and help lead this next chapter for healthcare.”

Welcome UConn Health Waterbury Hospital!



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