Connecticut
State adds charges against Waterbury woman accused of holding stepson captive for decades
The Waterbury woman accused of holding her stepson captive for decades faced a judge for the first time since October.
Thursday marks one year since her arrest in this case.
The state brought new charges against Sullivan Thursday. The charges mirror the ones she already faced — assault in the first degree, unlawful restraint in the first degree, and cruelty to persons. But there are now two counts of kidnapping in the first degree, which is different from the one count of kidnapping in the second degree that she faced initially.
New paperwork of substitute information filed by Waterbury Supervisory Assistant State’s Attorney Donald Therkildsen indicates the change.
“In between the dates of Summer 2004, and February 17, 2025, at or near 2 Blake Street, Waterbury, Connecticut, the said Kimberly Sullivan, did, abduct another person and restrain the person abducted with intent accomplish and advance the commission of a felony,” the document reads.
In Connecticut, kidnapping in the first degree has potential for a higher penalty than kidnapping in the second degree, if convicted.
Sullivan’s defense attorney, Ioannis Kaloidis, says these revisions do not change the plan of proceedings going forward.
“It’s similar to what’s been already alleged. I don’t really think it changes too much on our end,” he said.
Sullivan is accused by her stepson of holding him captive in their home for more than twenty years. Her stepson, who goes by the name of ‘S’, set fire to his home on Blake Street last February at age 32, telling first responders he did so to be free from his stepmother. S alleges she held him captive in the home for decades with little food and water and with no formal education.
Kaloidis has vehemently denied the allegations this entire year.
“This wasn’t true then, and it’s not true now,” said Kaloidis.
He says the past year has been challenging for Sullivan.
“As you can imagine, anytime your face is plastered all over the news, and you become public enemy number one, it’s hard to live a normal life,” Kaloidis said.
Sullivan appeared very briefly Thursday, where both sides to agreed to view all of S’s medical records as part of the discovery phase.
“The suponea has arrived, we’re asking they be unsealed,” said Therkildsen.
“It’s really what the state is alleging. We really want to see what evidence they have and what evidence they produce at trial. I don’t know what’s in there, we’ll know it when we see it,” said Kaloidis.
After a year of pretrial proceedings, the judge is waiving Sullivan’s need to appear next time.
“The lawyers will be discussing potential offers and from there we’ll set the final date,” the judge said.
Sullivan’s defense has been adamant that they would not accept a plea deal unless the case was thrown out, meaning they intend for this to be heard at trial.
That next court date is April 30.
CONNECTICUT (WTNH) – Some state parks have closed after their parking lots have reached capacity.
According to the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection parking lots at 3 state parks have reached their limit today and are closed to anymore guests.
As of this time the parks are:
-Silver Sands in Milford
-Wadsworth Falls in Middletown
-Squantz Pond in New Fairfield
We will update this list if anymore closures are reported today.
Connecticut
2 rescued, fisherman still missing after getting trapped in rising water at Connecticut beach
Multiple law enforcement agencies responded to a beach rescue in Santa Cruz County, California. Authorities said about eight rescue swimmers entered the water to extricate the victims.
FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Two people, including a fisherman, have been rescued, and crews are looking to locate another that was trapped on a reef when water started to rise at a Connecticut beach.
The Fairfield Fire Department responded to a call for help after getting a report that two fishermen were in distress off the reef at Penfield Beach. It happened around 7 a.m. on Saturday.
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Investigators said that while the two fishermen were on a reef, the incoming tide quickly surrounded them, leaving them trapped, with the water still rising and no safe way back to shore.
A lifeguard station on Penfield Beach in Fairfield, CT.
(DeviantCharisma / Getty Images)
A witness saw what happened and jumped into the water to help. While they were able to find one of the fishermen, both were subsequently swept into deeper water, according to the fire department.
Police and fire officials dispatched multiple marine assets to the area, and the Fairfield Police Boat was able to rescue the witness and one fisherman.
Search efforts to find the second fisherman have been suspended for the night, but are expected to pick up on Sunday morning.
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Drone units from Fairfield and nearby Westport assisted in search operations. Helicopters from the U.S. Coast Guard and Nassau County, New York, also responded.
Dive teams from several neighboring cities and towns responded to the scene to assist with the search, too.
A peaceful evening at Fairfield Beach, Connecticut, with a lifeguard chair standing empty on the sandy shore. The serene waters of Long Island Sound reflect the soft pastel hues of the setting sun, while a near-full moon rises into the clear sky. The quiet beach scene, with coastal homes in the distance, captures the calm and tranquility of a New England beach town at dusk.
(Roshan Polepalli / Getty Images)
The rescued fisherman was transported to a nearby hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, due in large part to the heroic actions of the witness, according to fire officials.
Despite an extensive search involving local, state and federal resources, the second fisherman has not been located, the fire department said.
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The operation has transitioned from a search and rescue mission to a recovery effort, and officials said efforts to locate the man, identified as 34-year-old Kwahiwi Edwards, of Queens, New York, will continue.
Various jingle seashells on Sasco Beach in Fairfield, Connecticut, on a sunny day.
(Daniel Hanscom / Getty Images)
“The Fairfield Police Department and Fairfield Fire Department extend their thoughts and support to the family and loved ones of the missing fisherman as search and recovery efforts continue,” the fire department said on Facebook.
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Officials are also thanking the witness that jumped in and whose quick actions helped save a life.
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