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.
Connecticut
Amtrak won’t close shoreline rail bridges during World Cup, reversing earlier proposal
Amtrak says it will not close any railroad bridges along Connecticut’s shoreline during the 2026 World Cup, backing away from a potential proposal that had sparked concerns from boaters, harbor officials, and marine businesses.
In an email Tuesday to NBC Connecticut, Amtrak spokesperson Jason Abrams said: “At this time, in coordination with the Coast Guard, we will not be closing any bridges on the Connecticut Coast Line during the tournament.”
The statement is a shift from a plan previously circulating among members of the boating community. That proposal outlined possible hourslong closures of several movable railroad bridges on the Connecticut shoreline on dates tied to World Cup matches in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
The affected bridges would have included the spans over the Connecticut River, Niantic River, Shaw’s Cove, Thames River and Mystic River.
The proposal had raised alarms among charter boat operators, harbor masters and marine industry leaders, who warned the closures could disrupt navigation during the height of the summer season, create safety risks on crowded waterways and hurt businesses that depend on fishing and recreational boating.
Amtrak also said is “exploring all options to move travelers safely and reliably during the World Cup with minimal interruption and inconvenience to local communities, visitors, and other stakeholders and travelers.”
Fans are expected to use rail service along the Northeast Corridor to travel to matches in the Northeast, including in the Boston area, where passengers would use connecting service to reach the stadium in Foxborough.
Earlier Tuesday, the U.S. Coast Guard told NBC Connecticut it was reviewing Amtrak’s request related to the bridge proposal.
“The Coast Guard has received Amtrak’s request for the bridge closures and are reviewing it to reach a final decision. When that decision is made, the Coast Guard will work with Amtrak. We are also aware of the mariners and boating communities concerns regarding this,” the Coast Guard had said.
It was not immediately clear whether Amtrak had formally withdrawn that request or whether the rail operator’s latest statement means the bridge closures are no longer under consideration.
NBC Connecticut reached out to the Coast Guard to request additional information.
Connecticut
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Connecticut
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