Waterbury leaders speak on horrific captivity case and possible changes to state law on homeschooling

WATERBURY, CT. (WFSB) - Details continue to roll in about the situation that led a Waterbury woman, Kimberly Sullivan, to allegedly hold her stepson captive for 20 years after taking him out of school.

City and school leaders in the city have begun meeting to talk about the educational process and what authority a school district has to check in once a child leaves to be homeschooled. The answer: virtually none.

“If there’s any authority on a school district’s part or a city’s part to do some more, to check on these circumstances,” said Waterbury Police Chief Fernando Spagnolo.

Other students and teachers raised red flags about the victim’s condition, and DCF and Waterbury police visited the home. However, no evidence of abuse was found.

Tens of thousands of children in Connecticut are homeschooled.

Waterbury Mayor Paul Perenerewski points out that parents have rights and he would like to see potential changes to state law. But he also admits that it’s a tough needle to thread.

“Once they’re out, the trouble is at this point with the existing state law, once they’re make that choice to opt out of schooling, there is no requirement that they have no further connection,” he said.

He believes a case like that for some type of action to be taken.

“I think there has to be a way that people are just assured that a child you know at 10-years-old, 12-years-old, 13-years-old is being taken care of and you’re not seeing those kinds of issues,” he continued. “That’s going to take a conversation. How do you balance all of those rights without interfering with the parental rights at the same time.”

He said that he was personally impacted because that was the neighborhood he grew up in.

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