Claim signals possible lawsuit in alleged Waterbury captivity case
An attorney for the victim in the Waterbury captivity case — known publicly as “S” — has taken the first formal step toward potentially suing the state of Connecticut, if he chooses to do so, NBC Connecticut has learned.
According to documents filed with the Office of the Claims Commissioner, S’s conservator submitted an application on Feb. 6, ahead of the Feb. 17 deadline.
S was rescued from a fire in the home where he lived with his stepmother, Kimberly Sullivan, on Feb. 17, 2025. He claimed Sullivan held him captive for 20 years and said he set the fire in order to escape.
Sullivan has been charged with assault, kidnapping, and unlawful restraint. She denies the allegations.
Under Connecticut law, anyone seeking monetary damages from the state must first obtain permission from the Claims Commissioner, a process designed to filter out unfounded claims.
The filing lists the claim type as “personal injury — standard of care” and names the Department of Children and Families (DCF) as the state agency involved.
NBC Connecticut has been told that the filing does not mean S has decided to pursue damages.
S’s conservator, Kristan Exner, said in a statement, “These filings are procedural and merely ensure that, should S decide to make claims against any state entity, he has the right to do so.”
A DCF spokesperson said the department has not been notified of the claim. In a statement, the spokesperson said that once DCF receives the filing, it will “determine the most appropriate course of action.”
DCF previously acknowledged receiving six reports regarding S between 1996 and 2005. According to the agency, its investigations included home visits, interviews with other children in the home, and contact with S’s pediatrician and school nurse.
Officials said no abuse or neglect was disclosed at the time, and investigators did not find enough evidence to substantiate the allegations or remove him from the home.
The agency’s last documented contact with S occurred in 2005 — the same year he was withdrawn from school.
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