Accused stepmom in 20-year child abuse case asks court to loosen bond conditions
A woman from Waterbury, Connecticut, who stands accused of holding her stepson captive for two decades in her home is fighting a judge’s ruling that she must wear a GPS ankle monitor while out on bail. Kimberly Sullivan’s attorney, Ioannis Kaloidis, argues that her constitutional right to due process was violated when the ankle monitor was imposed as an additional bail requirement after her initial bail hearing.
Initially, on March 12, Waterbury Superior Court Judge Corinne Klatt set bail for Sullivan at $300,000 with no additional conditions except for “intensive pre-trial supervision.” The bail commissioner had recommended this amount based on Sullivan’s lack of criminal history, lifelong residency in Waterbury, education, and income. Despite the state’s request for a GPS monitor, the bail conditions remained the same when Sullivan appeared in court the next day to post bail.
Subsequently, the state filed a motion to change Sullivan’s bail conditions, arguing that she was a flight risk due to the potential for significant incarceration and the strengthening of their case with additional witnesses coming forward. In a hearing on March 28 before a different judge, Joseph Schwartz, it was revealed that Sullivan was receiving mental health treatment and living with one of her stepdaughters, leading to the decision that she must wear the GPS monitor.
Sullivan’s legal team disputes this decision, claiming that the hearing did not meet due process requirements and that there was no actual evidence presented to justify the need for the GPS monitor. They have filed a petition with the Connecticut Appellate Court seeking to overturn the ruling.
The law firm Pattis and Paz, LLC, representing Sullivan in the appeal, argues that the modification of her bail conditions was driven by public attention and a desire for punishment rather than genuine concerns about her appearance in court. They are hopeful that the original conditions of Sullivan’s release will be reinstated based on facts and the law.
According to the arrest warrant, Sullivan’s stepson was kept in a small storage closet without access to basic necessities for two decades. He was allowed minimal food and water, forced to use water bottles for bathing, and had to dispose of waste using makeshift methods. The man weighed less than 70 pounds when he was found by first responders after setting a fire in the home in an attempt to escape.
The shocking allegations came to light after the fire at Sullivan’s residence, leading to her arrest on charges of neglect. The legal battle over her bail conditions continues as the case unfolds.
