黑料吃瓜网's child welfare agency says it lacked sufficient evidence to remove a boy from the Waterbury home where he was allegedly held captive for years, despite investigating six separate reports about his wellbeing over the course of nearly a decade.
The Department of Children and Families (DCF) on Tuesday detailed the findings of its internal review into how the agency handled the boy's case.
It said DCF staff conducted announced and unannounced visits to the home between 1996 and 2005, even dropping by after-hours on some occasions to speak with family members.
They also interviewed children at the home, but the kids didn't disclose abuse or neglect, according to the agency.
"Based on the information available and the statutory requirements in place at the time, we did not have sufficient evidence to substantiate the allegations or remove the child from the home," reads a DCF summary.
The agency has faced questions about its involvement with the family after the alleged victim, now 32, set fire to his home in February 2025 in what police describe as a desperate bid to win his freedom.
Police allege the boy鈥檚 stepmother, Kimberly Sullivan, kept her stepson captive in a small room that was locked from the outside from the time he was around 11 years old.
When firefighters discovered him earlier this year, the victim weighed 68 pounds at 5 feet, 9 inches tall, and suffered from severe muscle atrophy, according to authorities.
Sullivan, 57, has pleaded not guilty to charges of kidnapping and assault.
The victim told investigators his family pulled him out of school in fourth grade after school officials contacted authorities about his behavior, including eating food out of the garbage due to hunger.
Information released this week by DCF suggests the agency's last contact with the boy's family came around that same time.
According to the agency, staff assessed the home and observed whether food was available. An investigator also spoke with the child's pediatrician, who expressed no concerns, according to the agency.
DCF said it had ongoing communication with both the pediatrician and a school nurse during that time to assess whether the boy had an underlying medical condition that would explain the boy's "small stature and foodseeking behavior."
In its statement, DCF said the agency is precluded by state law from making its records public. DCF is refraining from commenting further to avoid interfering with the ongoing criminal investigation, it said.
"Our hearts remain with this young man along with his extended family members, friends and others who know him and have been impacted," the agency said. "We keep him and the unspeakable trauma he has endured at front of mind."
DCF released its summary after meeting privately Tuesday with lawmakers serving on the Committee on Children and the Department of Children and Families.
In a statement, state Sen. Ceci Maher, a co-chair of the committee, said DCF provided increased transparency and described how its procedures have changed in recent years. Maher added it's important to understand how the case evolved to better protect children in the future.
"I hope to receive more updates from them as more information is available with the ongoing legal case," Maher said. "I will continue working with colleagues and advocates to review and update our statutes for DCF and educational oversight to make sure horrors like these do not occur again.鈥�
Waterbury police disclosed previously they visited the boy鈥檚 home to check on him in 2005 after being contacted by DCF.
Waterbury Police Chief Fernando C. Spagnolo told 黑料吃瓜网 previously his officers handled calls for service at the home appropriately, finding no reason to take further action based on their observations.
鈥淭he officers did a thorough job in responding to the house, interviewing the people in the house, interviewing the victim himself," Spagnolo said. "There was really nothing out of the ordinary for them to act upon at that point in time.鈥�
