In the USA, a young man held captive by his stepmother managed to escape his 20-year captivity by setting his house on fire. When officials intervened in the resulting fire, they found the 1.75-meter-tall man only weighing 30 kilograms. The details he shared with authorities left everyone horrified.

According to a report in The Washington Post, 56-year-old Kimberly Sullivan, residing in Connecticut, is accused of keeping her stepson captive for 20 years. The young man, who was locked up and left to starve, set fire to their house on February 17th.

When emergency teams arrived at the scene, they found a 32-year-old male who had been “living in inhumane conditions of hunger, abuse, severe neglect, and lack of medical care for years, without proper dental care and health examinations.”

FOUND WEIGHING ONLY 30 KILOGRAMS Officials found the 1.75-meter-tall man weighing only 30 kilograms. The 32-year-old man was immediately taken to the hospital. He confessed to burning down the house using a lighter, disinfectant, and paper. Police Chief Fernando Spagnolo, speaking at a press conference held on Thursday, stated, “Throughout my thirty-three years in law enforcement, this is the worst treatment of humanity I have seen.” HELD CAPTIVE SINCE AGE 11 When asked why he started the fire, the young man responded, “I wanted my freedom back.” He recounted how, as a young child, he was allowed only two cups of water per day, forcing him to drink from the toilet at night. He also mentioned how during adolescence, he was not permitted to use the toilet and claimed that his stepmother provided him with a bottle and newspaper instead. Sullivan threatened him with less food and longer quarantines to prevent his escape or seeking help. When asked if he was hungry, he replied, “All day, every day, my whole life.” ENTIRE FAMILY AWARE OF ABUSE The 32-year-old man revealed that he found the materials he used to set the fire in the pocket of a jacket of his deceased father from a year ago. It was learned that the young man’s father and two step-sisters were aware of what was happening, and even supported the mother. Officials launched an investigation into the incident after finding the young man. LEFT HOME AT 14 The stepmother faces charges of first-degree assault, second-degree kidnapping, first-degree unlawful restraint, and first-degree endangering the life of a person. The young man stated that he was only allowed to leave his room in the mornings for 15 minutes to two hours, during which time he had to do housework. He recalled leaving the house for the last time when he was 14-15 years old.