Man Allegedly Held Captive by Stepmom for 20 Years Said He Wasn't Fed at Home Prior to Imprisonment, Says Former Principal

• A Connecticut woman was arrested this week after a man identified as her stepson told police he started a house fire at their shared residence to escape decades of her alleged abuse
• The man’s former elementary school principal has now told NBC Connecticut that concerns about his well-being were raised at school, and staff were so concerned about him allegedly not eating that they’d bring food in for him
• “We reported it. Not a damn thing was done. That’s the tragedy of the whole thing,” Tom Pannone — who was the principal at Barnard Elementary School in Waterbury, which has since closed — told the outlet of the alleged abuse

The former school principal of a man allegedly held captive by his stepmother for 20 years says he voiced concerns about his well-being years ago.

Kimberly Sullivan, 56, was taken into custody on Wednesday, March 12, after her 32-year-old stepson told police he started a house fire at their shared residence to escape decades of her alleged abuse.

The suspect, of Waterbury, Connecticut, has since been charged with assault in the first degree, kidnapping in the second degree, unlawful restraint in the first degree, cruelty to persons and reckless endangerment in the first degree, a statement shared by the Waterbury Police Department on Facebook confirmed.

Per NBC Connecticut, the alleged victim weighed only 68 pounds when he set fire to the house on Feb. 17, citing officials.

Tom Pannone — who was the principal at the alleged victim’s former school, Barnard Elementary School in Waterbury, which has since closed — told the outlet of the alleged abuse, “We knew it. We reported it. Not a damn thing was done. That’s the tragedy of the whole thing.”

Pannone hasn’t seen the alleged victim, who hasn’t been publicly identified, since the early 2000s when he was in the fourth grade. He said that staff at the school noticed he was “extremely small and thin,” and the child told them that he sometimes wasn’t allowed food at home, per NBC Connecticut.

“Everyone really was concerned with this child since he was 5 years old. You knew something was wrong. It was grossly wrong,” Pannone told the outlet, adding that staff would sometimes bring food in for the child after seeing him eating out of the garbage and stealing food.

Pannone told the station that he and staff members “made multiple calls” to Sullivan and the Department of Children and Families (DCF).

The boy had allegedly been removed from school when he was in the fourth grade, and didn’t make it back for fifth grade.

Pannone said of the man setting fire to his home in a bid to escape, “I hope the student remembers the staff at Barnard School and how much they really loved him,” NBC Connecticut reported. 

“Sorry we couldn’t do more. Because you went through more than any of us ever will go through with our lives,” he added, per the outlet.

Waterbury Police Chief, Fernando Spagnolo, said, per the police release, “The suffering this victim endured for over 20 years is both heartbreaking and unimaginable. This case required relentless investigative effort, and I commend the dedication of our officers and the Waterbury State’s Attorney’s Office.”

“Their unwavering commitment ensured that justice is served, and the perpetrator is held fully accountable for these horrific crimes,” Spagnolo continued.

Officers confirmed that following “an extensive investigation,” detectives “determined that the victim had been held in captivity for over 20 years, enduring prolonged abuse, starvation, severe neglect, and inhumane treatment.” 

“He was found in a severely emaciated condition and had not received medical or dental care during this time,” the release stated. “Investigators further discovered that he had been provided with only minimal amounts of food and water which led to his extremely malnourished condition.”

Sullivan’s attorney, Ioannis A. Kaloidis, denied any wrongdoing on his client’s behalf and called the allegations “outlandish.”

“She was blown away when she heard these allegations,” the lawyer told reporters. “She’s adamant they are not true. This did not happen and we look forward to being able to vindicate her and show that she’s done nothing wrong.”

Kaloidis added, “The allegations seem to be based on the words of one individual and one individual alone.”

Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE’s free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.          

Sullivan’s bond was set at $300,000, and she will be placed in the custody of the Connecticut Department of Corrections, police said.

The Administration for Children and Families didn’t immediately respond when contacted by PEOPLE for comment.

If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.