Connecticut
Biological mom of Connecticut house of horrors victim slams alleged captor as ‘lowest of the low’
The biological mom of the man who was allegedly locked away and starved for two decades slammed his tormentor as the “lowest of the low,” and will only refer to the wicked stepmother as an “it.”
Tracy Vallerand, who lost custody of her son as an infant, reiterated her wish to see accused captor Kimberly Sullivan locked behind bars as she awaits trial, saying she poses too much of a flight risk to have been awarded bail.
“He needs justice, and he needs to know that people are here for him,” Vallerand said of her son in an interview with Fox News.
“Right now, he’s 32 years old, so he has all the say. My God, he’s 32, and he needs to learn to live his life. That is sad on so many different levels.”
Sullivan was released on $300,000 bond last month in spite of horrifying allegations she locked her stepson in a small room for up to 22 hours per day — leaving him so hungry and thirsty, he’d drink out of the toilet.
Her attorney, Ioannis Kaloidis, filed a motion this week to have the ankle monitor requirement dropped, a move Vallerand vehemently opposed.
“He’s doing a good job for her, but he’s literally at the bottom of the barrel with the clientele that he has. But it’s the lowest of the low that [Kaloidis] aims to be representing, which is pretty sad. I wouldn’t be able to close my eyes at night doing that,” Vallerand said.
Vallerand had been trying to reconnect with her son since he turned 18, but was unable to find any trace of him on the internet, she claimed.
The boy’s father, who was awarded sole custody, was not technologically savvy, so Vallerand optimistically hoped he had taken after his dad in that regard.
“Well, I mean, things that go through your head where you can’t find somebody who’s an adult, especially nowadays on social media, it’s very rare that you would actually find zero carbon footprints,” she told the outlet.
“Did he run away? What else? So many things go through your head. Now, in this case, he didn’t have any death records, so I knew he was still alive.”
Vallerand had no inkling her son had been whisked away from the world and locked inside the squalid home for 20 years, withering away until he was just 68 pounds.
The man — whose identity has not been revealed — was so desperate to escape, he lit his prison room on fire, prompting fire officials to race to the home where they uncovered the horrifying abuse.
The victim spoke out for the first time last week, issuing a statement in which he said he is getting stronger by the day.
“I am a survivor of more than 20 years of captivity and domestic abuse. I was held prisoner in my home from the time I was taken out of the fourth grade at age 11 until two months ago at age 31 when I purposely set the fire that helped set me free,” he wrote, calling himself by the initial “S.”
“I am much better and stronger than I was the day the first responders carried me out of my home. I am beyond grateful for the care I have received since then. To all the health care professionals who have helped and nurtured me, thank you. In addition to all of your care, I appreciated the chance to have my first ever birthday party to celebrate turning 32.”
Sullivan has pleaded not guilty to charges of assault and kidnapping.
HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) — Five Connecticut towns will collectively receive $10 million in grants for infrastructure upgrades, according to a Monday announcement by Gov. Ned Lamont.
The Connecticut Department of Housing (DOH) is awarding $10.7 million to Coventry, Guilford, Ledyard, Mansfield and Thomaston to modernize and rehabilitate housing for low- and moderate-income residents, the announcement said.
The funds are being released through the DOH’s Community Development Block Grant’s small cities program, with funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. To be eligible, a municipality must have fewer than 50,000 residents.
Cost Breakdown
Coventry: $2 million
Town of Coventry plans to use funds to upgrade, with a focus on making Orchard Hill Estates compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Guilford: $2 million
The Town of Guilford plans to use funds to design and build future affordable housing projects, consisting of up to 16 rental units and 8 homes.
Ledyard: $2 million
The Town of Canton requested funding for the first phase of affordable housing for people in Ledyard and the surrounding area. Habitat for Humanity of Eastern Connecticut is in the pre-development phase of the Colby Drive and plans to create 38 units.
Mansfield: $2.2 million
Funding will be used for upgrades to Wright’s Village, including roof replacements and sidewalk repairs.
Thomaston: $2.5 million
Funds will be used to make Green Manor ADA-compliant, including the installation of a new emergency call aid system.
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Connecticut
Florida High School State Bronze Medalist Dajah German Verbals To Connecticut For Fall 2027
Fitter and Faster Swim Camps is the proud sponsor of SwimSwam’s College Recruiting Channel and all commitment news. For many, swimming in college is a lifelong dream that is pursued with dedication and determination. Fitter and Faster is proud to honor these athletes and those who supported them on their journey.
Florida high school state bronze medalist Dajah German has announced her verbal commitment to swim and study at the University of Connecticut beginning in the fall of 2027. She publicized the news on SwimCloud, writing:
I am so excited to announce my verbal commitment to continue my academic and athletic career at the University of Connecticut! I’m incredibly grateful for everyone who has supported me throughout this journey, my family, coaches, teammates, and friends who have pushed me to be my best throughout the years. And a very special thank you to Coach Chris and Coach Nicole for believing in me and giving me this opportunity. I’m so excited for what’s ahead. GO HUSKIES!
A rising senior at Fort Lauderdale High School in Florida, German trains year-round with Swim Fort Lauderdale and primarily specializes in the sprint and middle-distance freestyle events.
German has improved each year of her high school career, most recently dropping from 23.78, 51.39, and 1:50.56 in the 50/100/200 free to 23.54, 51.35, and 1:49.69 during the 2025-26 short course season.
German’s top meet of the season was the Florida Senior Championships in March, where she recorded her current PBs in both the 50 and 200 free. She finished second in the 500 free (4:55.94) and 1650 free (17:02.78), third in both the 50 free and 200 free, and fifth in the 100 free (51.43). She set her current 100 free PB at a smaller holiday meet in December. In the 500 free, she clocked a season-best 4:55.21 at the Speedo Cup in January, with her lifetime best of 4:53.19 coming at the 2025 Florida Senior Championships.
German has qualified for the FHSAA (Florida High School Athletic Association) State Championships for the past three years, with her top performance coming at the 2025 iteration in November. She placed third in the 50 free (23.96), fifth in the 500 free (5:01.12), and helped Fort Lauderdale to fourth place in both the 200 free relay (24.64 leadoff) and 400 free relay (53.08 anchor).
Top SCY Times:
- 50 Freestyle: 23.54
- 100 Freestyle: 51.35
- 200 Freestyle: 1:49.69
- 500 Freestyle: 4:53.19
A Division I Mid-Major program, Connecticut competes in the Big East, with the women’s team placing second out of seven teams at this past season’s conference championships. German’s current lifetime bests would have placed third in the 200 free, fourth in the 500 free, eighth in the 50 free, and ninth in the 100 free, setting her up as an immediate contributor with two full seasons of training still ahead before her first conference meet.
German joins Anna Mumford, Lyla Devlin, Lena Brown, and Louisa Holda in committing to the Huskies’ class of 2031 so far.
If you have a commitment to report, please send an email with a photo (landscape, or horizontal, looks best) and a quote to [email protected].
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