WATERBURY, Connecticut — Kimberly Sullivan intends to reject a judge’s proposed plea agreement that would require her to serve 10 years in prison over allegations that she held her stepson captive for approximately two decades, according to her attorney.

Sullivan, 57, appeared Wednesday in Waterbury Superior Court for a brief hearing at which prosecutors and Judge Corinne Klatt outlined separate plea proposals.

Prosecutors offered Sullivan a 30-year sentence suspended after 20 years served, followed by five years of probation. Klatt proposed a more lenient arrangement carrying the same 30-year sentence but suspending it after Sullivan served 10 years, also followed by five years of probation. 

Although Sullivan has not yet formally rejected the offers in court, defense attorney Ioannis Kaloidis said she will not accept an agreement requiring any period of incarceration.

“It’s a non-starter,” Kaloidis said after the hearing. Sullivan has until her next court appearance on September 4 to formally accept or reject the proposals. Her attorney expects a trial date to be scheduled after she declines them. 

Defense maintains Kimberly Sullivan is innocent

Kaloidis said the defense is preparing to take the case to trial and argued that Sullivan should not spend any time behind bars.

Sullivan has pleaded not guilty and continues to deny allegations that she confined and abused her stepson. According to court reporting, she has maintained that the man’s bedroom door was not locked and that he was able to move around the house. 

The defense attorney’s uncompromising position means the case is increasingly likely to be decided by a jury. A trial is not expected to begin until 2027, according to Kaloidis. 

Sullivan faces kidnapping and assault charges

Sullivan is charged with two counts of first-degree kidnapping, first-degree assault, first-degree unlawful restraint and intentional cruelty to persons.

Prosecutors upgraded the kidnapping allegations in March 2026, replacing an earlier second-degree kidnapping count with two first-degree charges. Each first-degree kidnapping count carries a mandatory minimum prison sentence if Sullivan is convicted. 

She remains free on a $300,000 bond while the criminal proceedings continue.

Sullivan is presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Stepson allegedly started fire to escape Waterbury home

The case began after emergency personnel responded to a fire at Sullivan’s Blake Street home in Waterbury in February 2025.

Police allege that Sullivan’s stepson deliberately started the fire with paper, hand sanitizer and a lighter because he believed attracting emergency responders was his only way to escape.

The man was 32 years old when firefighters found him. Authorities described him as severely malnourished and weighing approximately 68 pounds, with matted hair, deteriorated teeth and other indications of prolonged neglect. 

Investigators allege that he had been confined in a small upstairs room beginning when he was around 11 years old. He reportedly told police that he was kept inside for most of each day and was allowed out only for limited tasks, including household chores.

The alleged victim has since asked to be identified publicly as “S,” saying he chose a new name as part of his effort to reclaim control over his life and future. 

Biological mother criticizes proposed 10-year sentence

S’s biological mother, Tracy Vallerand, strongly criticized the possibility that Sullivan could serve only 10 years in prison.

Vallerand told the New York Post that she believed the proposed punishment was inadequate given the severity and duration of the alleged abuse. She also accused Sullivan’s attorney of behaving like a “show pony” during his public defense of his client. 

Vallerand has previously said she and other biological relatives searched for S but were unable to locate him. She has expressed pride in her son for surviving the alleged captivity and finding a way to alert rescuers. 

What happens next in the Kimberly Sullivan case?

Sullivan is scheduled to return to Waterbury Superior Court on September 4. At that hearing, she is expected to formally reject both the prosecution’s 20-year offer and the judge’s proposed 10-year prison term.

The court could then begin setting deadlines and selecting a possible trial date.

Until a plea is formally entered or a jury reaches a verdict, the allegations against Sullivan remain unproven. Her defense team is expected to challenge the prosecution’s account of the alleged confinement, while prosecutors will seek to demonstrate that she intentionally restrained and seriously neglected her stepson for years.

The September hearing is therefore expected to mark a major transition in the case—from plea negotiations to preparations for a potentially lengthy and closely watched trial.