By Bruno Matarazzo Jr.
WATERBURY — A probate judge will consider arguments to seal a file involving the 32-year-old man police said was held captive by his stepmother for more than 20 years.
A court-appointed conservator and an attorney for the victim are seeking to have the probate case sealed.
A CT Insider reporter objected to the request during a hearing this week in probate court, arguing the public has a vested interest in ensuring that judicial proceedings remain transparent, particularly in cases involving allegations of abuse, and it would limit oversight of the system meant to protect individuals in similar situations.
The probate file contained notices of hearings in the case and documents requesting a judge appointing a conservator.
The judge on Monday sealed the file temporarily until April 7 when he is expected to issue a final ruling.
A probate judge appointed the conservator at the request from staff at the Connecticut hospital where the victim has been rehabilitating since police say he set fire to his room at a Blake Street house in February in a bid for freedom. CT Insider is withholding the name of the facility to protect the victim's privacy.
The man's stepmother, Kimberly Sullivan, 56, has been charged in connection with his captivity, which police say began when he was 11 years old.
Sullivan is charged with second-degree kidnapping, first-degree assault, cruelty to a person, first-degree unlawful restraint and first-degree reckless endangerment. She is free on $300,000 bail and is not allowed to have any contact with her stepson.
Sullivan's attorney, Ioannis Kaloidis, said his client denies the allegations.
The victim has been under tight security at the Connecticut facility, which has not permitted access to him to "protect this very fragile patient," according to a letter by the hospital's attorney. CT Insider reviewed the letter before the judge temporarily sealed the probate file on Monday.
The hospital wouldn't even allow the victim to be served for the purposes of Monday's probate court hearing. The hospital cited in the letter the "very special circumstances of the subject's patient's admission, including an extensive history of abuse, isolation and emotional trauma."
The victim described to police years of forced isolation, limited to two sandwiches and two small bottles of water a day, according to the warrant for Sullivan's arrest. The room, approximately 9 feet by 8 feet, had an exterior slide lock, reinforced plywood and no bathroom access, the warrant said. Investigators found evidence supporting the man's claims, including remnants of the locked door and makeshift waste disposal methods he was forced to use, according to the warrant.
When firefighters responded to the February blaze at the home, they found the victim emaciated, weighing just 68 pounds at 5 feet, 9 inches tall, with severe muscle atrophy and decayed teeth, according to the warrant.
Medical reports confirmed he suffered from extreme malnutrition and had
not received any documented medical treatment since childhood, the
warrant said. His body mass index was recorded at 11, significantly
below the threshold for starvation, according to the warrant.
Full Article & Source:
Conservator for Waterbury man held captive for decades wants case file sealed
See Also:
New details emerge after man held hostage for 20 years in Waterbury
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