“The release of this sensitive evidence by the Waterbury Police Department in the midst of an ongoing and active investigation is not only shocking but offensive, and frankly, raises significant ethical concerns,” stated Sullivan’s attorney, Ioannis Kaloidis, in an official statement to the CT Post on Tuesday.

Kimberly Sullivan, aged 57, is facing severe accusations of unlawfully imprisoning her stepson, who is now 32 years old, within their home for an astonishing two decades. In a desperate attempt to escape his captivity, he allegedly set a fire in his bedroom, which ultimately led to his escape as firefighters rushed in to rescue him from the blaze.

“The release of these new materials only serves to solidify public opinion against Ms. Sullivan,” Kaloidis asserted. “Justice necessitates the safeguarding of constitutional rights, which ultimately ensures a fair trial.”

In a formal motion requesting the judge to mandate the preservation of documents concerning any Freedom of Information requests, Kaloidis emphasized that the releases appear to be a calculated attempt to sway public opinion, directly impacting the defendant’s right to a fair trial and the principle of presumption of innocence.

“We demand an immediate investigation into the release of these images and videos,” he added, asserting, “We are committed to fighting these outrageous allegations at every turn.” Sullivan has consistently maintained her innocence throughout this ordeal.

Among the evidence released is bodycam footage from the night of the fire, shared by CBS affiliate WFSB. In this footage, Sullivan adamantly denied that her stepson had ever been locked in his room, even on the day of the incident, as reported by The New York Post.

According to the news outlet, Sullivan was accompanied by one of her two adult daughters at the time of questioning, with the daughter reportedly arriving shortly after the emergency responders had arrived on the scene.

While seated in her daughter’s vehicle nearby, bodycam footage captured Sullivan’s responses to inquiries made by firefighters and police after her stepson claimed that he had been held captive and confined in his room for two decades.

“Was the door locked on his room, or no?” an officer asked in the footage, to which she responded, “No.” When further questioned if it was “usually locked,” she replied again, “No.”

“And he has free reign to exit of there whenever he wants?” the officer inquired. Sullivan answered, “Yeah,” but police allege that she was lying then and continues to deceive authorities.

Among the images released to CT Insider are disturbing photos showcasing the extensive smoke and fire damage the home sustained, along with images of the man’s bedroom door, which appeared to be fitted with multiple locks that police assert were utilized to confine him.

Speaking to the press following Sullivan’s arrest on March 12, Waterbury Police Chief Fernando Spagnolo informed reporters that investigators had recovered the door and doorjamb from the stepson’s room. He confirmed evidence of locks that appeared to have evolved over time, presumably to enhance security as the victim matured and grew stronger.

The arrest warrant further detailed that the stepson’s door had plywood reinforcing both sides, which authorities believe was another measure to prevent tampering with the locks, according to CT Insider.

In the images released, a cluttered downstairs area, including the kitchen and living room, remained largely unaffected by the fire, while extensive smoke and fire damage was evident in photos taken from the upstairs area, specifically where the stepson’s bedroom was located.

Late last month, Sullivan’s 911 call was also released to the media, providing insight into the panic-filled moments during the emergency.

FOX NY obtained the audio from Kimberly Sullivan’s initial call for help. “Oh my god. Please hurry. There is a fire! Oh my god, there is a fire!” Sullivan exclaimed to the 911 operator during the call, as the operator inquired about what was on fire.

“The TV? I don’t know. My son, my stepson, was up in his room and I don’t know, he did something with the TV. I was sleeping, I fell asleep,” Sullivan cried, confirming that flames and smoke were present in the house.

“We need an ambulance, please! His room, the TV in his room!” she shouted, as the operator asked if her stepson was injured or on fire. “Yes! He’s injured! Please send an ambulance,” Sullivan yelled into the phone, her voice filled with desperation.

When asked again whether he was injured, she added, “I don’t know, he’s kind of passed out. He’s out of it. Oh my god, it’s like all the power in the house is out. I don’t know if it blew a fuse.”

Bodycam footage from the scene captured Sullivan outside her house while first responders inquired about who else was inside the residence.

“My stepson is in here. I’m trying to have them help him out. That’s it. I have two cats,” she told the officer. “Everybody’s out?” the officer asked, to which she replied, “Yes.” He then asked, “But your stepson’s still inside?”

As she stated, “he’s right there,” a firefighter could be seen emerging from the front door, carrying another individual. While expressing concern for her “shaking” dog, authorities guided her away from the scene before the stepson was placed into an ambulance for treatment.

Authorities first became aware of the situation following an emergency call reporting an active fire at approximately 8:42 p.m. on February 17. This call was made by Sullivan, who owns the property that was engulfed in flames.

While the fire was swiftly extinguished and Sullivan managed to evacuate on her own, the other resident in the house required assistance from the Waterbury Fire Department’s fire personnel, revealing a critical situation.

“While receiving medical care [for smoke inhalation], the male victim disclosed to first responders that he had intentionally set the fire in his upstairs room,” authorities stated in a statement regarding the case.

Regarding his motives for igniting the fire, they indicated that he told them simply, “I wanted my freedom.” This chilling statement underscores the dire circumstances he faced.

“He further alleged that he had been held captive by Sullivan since he was approximately 11 years old,” the statement continued. According to CBS affiliate WFSB, which shared the complete arrest affidavit, the individual allegedly spent those years confined within an 8-foot by 9-foot room, illustrating the severity of his situation.

The alleged victim stated, “I lit a fire with some hand sanitizer, some paper from a printer, and I lit that fire while I was locked in that room from the outside,” a prosecutor revealed in court, highlighting the desperate measures he took to escape.

“He lit that fire fully aware that he could die,” the prosecutor continued, “but he had been locked in that room for 20 years, and for 20 years he’d been attempting to get out of that room,” emphasizing the gravity of his plight.

Discover more about the horrifying allegations surrounding Sullivan here.

Sullivan’s attorney Ioannis Kaloidis has stated that the suspect’s late husband, Kregg Sullivan—who passed away in 2024—was “in control” of the situation and was the one who made the decision to confine his son to an 8-foot by 9-foot room starting at the age of 11.

“Ultimately, it was the father who dictated the manner in which his son was raised, and my client was merely following his orders,” Kaloidis told PEOPLE, while also denying the stepson’s claims that he was not allowed to shower. “My client encouraged him to bathe, but she is not going to force a 32-year-old man to care for himself,” Kaloidis stated.

The attorney also asserted that the victim was never locked in his room and that he left the house daily to perform chores, such as taking out the trash. According to Kaloidis, “He could have easily walked away if he wanted to leave.”

“This is just one side of the story, and people should not rush to judgment. These allegations are horrific, but there are two sides to every story, and my client plans to defend herself vigorously against these allegations,” Kaloidis concluded.

While Sullivan’s lawyer attempts to shift blame to her deceased husband, the stepson has reportedly spoken more favorably of him when discussing the alleged abuse with authorities.

According to Sullivan’s arrest affidavit, the stepson claimed that he would “be let out of his room for longer periods of time by his father” and also alleged that “while Sullivan took his sisters to events and to see friends, his father would allow him to come out and watch television with him.”

“When discussing his father’s death, he remarked that his captivity and restraint became even more severe,” police noted. “[He] mentioned that it reached a point where he would only be allowed out of the house once since his father died to let the family dog out in the back of the property.”

Sullivan is currently free on a $300,000 bond after pleading not guilty to all charges against her this past Friday, which include felony charges of second-degree kidnapping, first-degree unlawful restraint, and cruelty to a person, as well as first-degree reckless endangerment, according to CT Insider.