Note: Upon the request of the family for anonymity, several names have been replaced with pseudonyms.

Upon entering John Knudsen’s East Haven condominium, you are greeted by an almost overwhelming sense of self-expression; his foyer is filled with a vast collection of antique rotary telephones (all of which still work), and his walls are adorned with a variety of photographs, prints, paintings and other décor. 

The dozens of photos reflect the importance he places on family, but one of the most prominently featured faces is not that of a blood relative, though John and his relatives consider him family regardless.

“I have five brothers, and my five brothers all loved Tim,” said Knudsen. “My family loved Tim.”

Knudsen worked in social services for 35 years, and for 18 of them, he was the caretaker of Tim D, a man diagnosed with Williams Syndrome. Tim lived in Knudsen’s condo for eleven years but hasn’t stepped foot in it since January 2019, when Tim’s stepmother offered care so John could grieve the recent loss of his mother.

“Although things were rocky between us, the mother called me and she said to me, ‘I want you to be able to grieve your mom with your brothers, that’s important,’” said Knudsen. “Two days after I bury my mom she comes, she comes into my home and she said ‘Geez, you have such a lovely home here,’ and she looked at the pictures of Tim and everything and she said, ‘It’s just beautiful.’ And I thought that was sincere – I didn’t see him until this past June, five years.”

After a falling out both with his supervisors at the Department of Developmental Services (DDS) and Tim’s parents, Knudsen ended up the target of a DDS investigation, while simultaneously embroiled in a two-year long legal battle with Tim’s parents for guardianship rights.

Knudsen used to work as a provider for DDS’s Community Companion Home (CCH) program, in which developmentally disabled adults are placed in the home of qualified care providers, who work around the clock to aid their wards and teach them independent living skills in a home environment. Knudsen believes he was deeply wronged by both the state and Tim’s parents, who he claims have never cared for their child as much as he has. 

Andy and Kay D, Tim’s father and stepmother, believe John is a “deeply sick, and deceptive man”, and a “malevolent presence” in Andy’s own words.

“He’s obsessed with our son and it’s very unhealthy,” said Kay. “We just wish John Knudsen would get over this, move on as the judge has told him to, and stay away from Tim.”

The saga of Knudsen’s care for, and subsequent loss of, Tim is one that he and other CCH providers who have spoken on his behalf, believe displays the indifference and unfairness with which CCH program officials treat providers, and the inadequate reimbursement they’re afforded. But to Tim’s parents, it is the story of a deranged and obsessive man who betrayed their trust, used their son as a tool to enrich himself, and who used himself as a barrier to their relationship with Tim.

“John is a disturbed person,” said Andy. “Do not believe a word that he says.”

Knudsen, a career social worker, said that he first met Tim in the early 2000s while working at Chapel Haven Schleifer Center, a provider of services and assistance to adults with disabilities. Knudsen said that Tim was one of four or five adults he worked with in a group setting, teaching them daily living skills. 

“I became very, very close with Tim because I saw that, his parents are alive, but they really didn’t have much to do with him,” said Knudsen. “We’re not supposed to have favorites, but he became my favorite.”

Knudsen told Inside Investigator that he would offer those in his group stars as a reward for good behavior, and upon receiving five stars, he would take them out on a free afternoon to do whatever they would like. Upon receiving his five stars, Tim’s request made Knudsen laugh.

“He said, ‘I want to have lunch with your mother,’” chuckled Knudsen. “He would hear me on the phone with my mother, and my mother, while we had a very loving relationship, sometimes it wasn’t, and she would just ‘I’ve heard enough John’ and hang up the phone. And Tim would hear that, and thought it was the funniest thing.”

Knudsen said he explained the request to his mother, who agreed to have lunch with him and Tim.

“So, I brought Tim to my parents’ home in Clinton, and ever since then, he was like a part of the family,” said Knudsen. “It grew in time where it just, it became ‘Where’s Tim?’ not, ‘Where’s John?’”

Knudsen said their relationship grew stronger over time, and that, eventually, he would bring Tim to all his family events. In 2008, Knudsen left his job at Chapel Haven and shortly thereafter, Tim graduated from Chapel Haven and moved to a more independent living situation; an apartment he shared with a roommate. Knudsen said that the situation ended up being a “disaster,” and that Andy and Ava, Tim’s biological mother, arranged to move him to a condo in East Haven, near where Knudsen lived, so that he could keep a closer eye on him.

“He was going out to eat, and he ended up choking on a piece of broccoli that he got from Chinese food,” said Knudsen. “He ended up having an emergency laryngectomy.”

Knudsen said that after that, the Ds decided it would be best if Tim moved in with Knudsen in his two-bedroom condo, where he lived alone. Knudsen said that things were “extremely good,” because Knudsen was able to keep an eye on Tim and taking him to programs, while also encouraging his social life, taking him to events for other disabled adults, such as the Special Olympics or events at the SARAH Home in Guilford.

Knudsen explained that SARAH provided a day program which helped teach independent skills to adults with disabilities, introducing them to part-time work and volunteering opportunities. Knudsen explained that Tim had a “loving relationship” with his mother, Ava, but a “somewhat adversarial” relationship with his father, Andy, and his stepmom K, Andy’s second wife. Nonetheless, Knudsen said that all supported Tim living with him and would provide funds for Knudsen’s care, paying him both room and board and a monthly stipend, while also paying him to take the family on trips.

Knudsen said that he would also pay for social excursions for Tim, letting one of his friend’s daughters, Evie Donohue, or another friend of his, Judge Crockett, take Tim out for nights on the town.

“They would go to the movies, they would have dinner together, and just hang around and have fun,” said Knudsen. “He was going out not only with his peers, but I gave him the ability to just call up Evie and say ‘Hey Evie, you want to go out tomorrow night? I want to go out.’”

Crockett said Tim became his “buddy,” and not only a member of Knudsen’s family, but his own as well.

“He would be so happy that I’m coming to get him,” Crockett recalled. “All my family loved Tim.”

Knudsen said that eventually, Tim’s caseworker suggested the two enter the CCH program. Knudsen joined in 2014 and immediately organized and held a presentation in his home to educate the other providers on Williams Syndrome, as Tim was the first ward in the program with such a diagnosis.

“I thought there was going to be five or six of us, but I think there were about 20 people in my home, that came to want to learn about Williams Syndrome,” said Knudsen. “It was phenomenal.”

Knudsen said that he invited Ava as well as Andy and K. While Ava came, Knudsen said the other two “wanted nothing to do with it.” Knudsen said that the meeting was also significant in that it made him aware of the fact that, now that he had entered CCH, he wasn’t supposed to be receiving funds from Tim’s family. 

Despite this discovery, Kathy Calo, one of CCH’s administrators at the time, allegedly told Knudsen that she would pretend not to know about the arrangement.

“You’re not supposed to double dip, but I don’t know anything about it,” Knudsen recalled her saying. “I actually needed that money because I was taking all my FMLA time, vacation time, all the time I had, unpaid time, to take Tim to his doctor appointments.”

Inside Investigator reached out to Calo to confirm this allegation but was rerouted to Kevin Bronson, DDS’s Director of Communications, Legislation and Regulations.

“As an agency, we follow all applicable federal law, state statutes, regulations, policies, and procedures to ensure the health and safety of the individuals we support,” said Bronson. “Community Companion Home (CCH) programs operate under structured guidelines to uphold the well-being of individuals, as well as to ensure transparency and consistency in provider oversight.”

Knudsen said that he had no complaints with the CCH program at that time, because “every month, for seven years, I flew, I had aces, all A’s.” Knudsen said every month, CCH officials would enter the home to speak with Tim, check on his behavioral progress and feelings, as well as analyze Knudsen’s home and conduct thorough audits of his finances.

“I had every receipt, everything, I didn’t care if it was $2.19, I have a receipt for it,” said Knudsen. “Their thing was everything under $20, you didn’t need a receipt, I had a receipt.”

But eventually, his relationship, both with Tim’s family and with his higher-ups at the CCH program, would take a significant turn for the worse.

“Tim was like my son, he just was, he was just like my son,” said Knudsen. “He had a difficult time with his father and stepmother, they were very, very demanding of him. His weight was an issue, his weight was an issue before I took care of him and – I have to say – he did get heavier.”

Knudsen recounted the various ways in which he, in collaboration with Andy and Kay, attempted to lower Tim’s weight. Per the D family’s request, Knudsen tried several diets and even took Tim to “fat camp.” Tim’s struggles with weight, in conjunction with other underlying health issues, made it so that Knudsen frequently had to take time off from work to bring Knudsen to various doctor and health specialist appointments.

“I had reached out to Kathy and to his case worker Jill, and I was taking so much time off from work that it was really affecting my pay,” said Knudsen. “I asked them, I said, ‘When I go to take him to doctor’s appointments, which isn’t included in this program, can I get some financial help?’ and they said, ‘No way.’”

Knudsen recalled a time he went to visit a friend in Florida, and ended up having to fly back immediately upon landing to tend to a medical emergency. Knudsen said he was informed by his fill-in provider that Tim’s leg appeared to be infected and would need to go to the ER, yet neither he nor anybody else at CCH would agree to take him. 

“There was no one that would take the responsibility from the state and getting someone here that would take him to the emergency room,” said Knudsen. “The system failed.”

Knudsen said he also tried Tim’s parents, but it was to no avail. He had to fly back that night to take Tim to the hospital, who ended up suffering from a staph infection. Knudsen said that he had to stay by Tim’s side the entire three months he was in the hospital, as he’d suffer from severe anxiety if left on his own. 

“When I did leave, there was a problem, and the state would say that burden is on me,” said Knudsen. “It’s not on me. When everything’s right, it’s OK. Once there’s a bump? Hold it, we can’t help you with that. You’re paid $3 an hour; you deal with it.”

Knudsen said he would spend every morning before work, and every night after work by Tim’s side.

“I slept on the floor of that rehab center, so he wasn’t alone,” said Knudsen. “And the state didn’t care. They didn’t care that that’s what I had to do.”

Knudsen said that his request for greater financial assistance is what ultimately tanked his relationship with both the D family and CCH’s management.

“They just started making everything difficult,” said Knudsen. “It became a nightmare.” 

Knudsen said that the family “never understood” the expenses he would incur to care for Tim. Knudsen said he frequently threw parties for Tim, and that his neighbors loved him, declaring him “mayor” of the complex Knudsen lives in.

Knudsen said he would frequently pay Donohue and Crockett out of pocket to take Tim out several times a week. Knudsen paid them $20 an hour each time, not including the costs associated with reimbursing whatever activity they were partaking in. Knudsen acknowledged its priciness, but said he saw it as an investment in Tim’s happiness.

“That was costing me between $12-1,600 a month, right out of the funds that I received to take care of him,” said Knudsen. “And they wanted to know where the money went? I can tell you where the money went.”

His frustrations are documented via emails he shared with Inside Investigator. One thread, beginning on Dec. 10, 2018, showed Knudsen asking Jill Keppler, another CCH administrator, for a fill-in caretaker to watch Tim during his work hours, as Tim’s normal caretaker was unavailable due to health issues.

“If I cannot be removed as the employer of record and begin being compensated for hours that I am working with Tim, then Tim needs to be placed back into a day program,” wrote Knudsen. “While I know Tim will not be pleased, I see no other choice at this point.”

“I know this is NOT at all what you want to hear, but I did ask if this was something that would be possible and the answer is no,” replied Keppler. “The reason as to why is because as a CCH licensee you are technically getting paid 24 hours a day.  You cannot on top of that get paid as a day provider.”

Knudsen aired his frustrations in response. 

“If I am indeed paid [24/7] then the state is actually the one double dipping by paying me and paying an agency,” Knudsen replied. “How is the hourly rate of pay determined, at your determination of 24×7?  More importantly what you are saying is that upon entering the CCH program, that the provider cannot work outside the home.  Again, this is unrealistic.  What employer would tolerate the inability for an employee not to work?”

Knudsen said that he did the math, and between the money he received both from the Ds and from the state, he ended up receiving only $3.87 an hour, assuming a 24/7 workload. 

“It’s not a lot of money when you look at it,” said Knudsen. “They [CCH] said absolutely not… well, then the shit started to hit the fan.”

Things reached a head on Christmas 2018. 

Per an East Haven Police Department report filed by Kay and Andy on Jan. 4, 2019, Knudsen engaged them in a verbal argument on Christmas morning. Kay and Andy took Tim for brunch that morning, and the argument occurred when the two returned to drop him back off.

“Kay stated while they were visiting Tim, John was hostile and aggressive towards them,” read the report. “Kay stated when Andy and her were attempting to leave John’s residence, John began screaming at them, saying “you’re not leaving until we talk about this” and “what about my Christmas?”

Per the police report, Knudsen was angered that the two’s visit would delay his plans to go to his own family’s Christmas celebrations, which were set to start at noon. Knudsen reportedly proposed to the Ds that they drive Tim over to his parents’ house when they were done visiting, but the two said they would be too tired after driving from New Jersey to do so. Knudsen also “tried to offer several alternatives” such as calling Tim an Uber to his parents after their visit concluded, but “none were accepted.”

The Ds told officers that Knudsen followed the two out in the driveway and tried to prevent their departure by standing in between the driver’s door and the car after Andy and Kay entered the vehicle. Kay told police she felt Knudsen “was holding them captive” and said, “she had no idea what caused John’s behavior and that he was being irrational.”

“Kay stated John was yelling in Andy’s face,” read the report. “Kay stated she then called out to a neighbor for help, saying that John was harassing them. Kay stated John did not make any threats of violence or physically touch them, but stated they were terrified and weren’t sure if the situation would have escalated if the neighbor was not present.”

The reporting officer visited Knudsen’s home the next day, and spoke to Tim who said, “he did not see John do anything inappropriate” and vouched for Knudsen’s care of him. 

The officer was unable to contact the neighbor the Ds called out to but spoke to two other neighbors who had apparently observed the incident. They told the officer they saw Knudsen “calmly speaking with Andy” on the driver’s side of the car while Kay screamed across the car at Andy to ignore Knudsen. They said they didn’t see Knudsen “do anything aggressive and stated it did not appear he was blocking the vehicle in any way.”

Per the report, Kay told the officer that she didn’t intend to contact the police but did so upon the suggestion of DDS officials after calling them to file a complaint. 

“Kay stated John provides good care to Tim and was only concerned with John’s behavior on that day,” read the report.

On Jan. 7, Knudsen visited the police to tell his side of the story. He admitted he had a verbal argument with Kay and Andy, as he was angered after they held up his plans to visit his family around noon and denied having obstructed the car door from closing.

“John stated Kay and Andy refused to drive Tim to John’s parent’s house and stated they would be too tried after driving from New Jersey,” read the report. “John stated he tried to offer several alternatives such as having Tim take an Uber to his parent’s house, but none were accepted. John stated he was upset because he had to wait at his residence for Tim and be late to his family’s party. John denied blocking Andy’s vehicle in any way.”

Knudsen said that after asking Calo for additional funds and assistance, she contacted Andy, who was unaware of the funds he was receiving from the state. That, in tandem with the Christmas Day confrontation, led to CCH opening an investigation against him and Andy filing a suit to remove Tim from Knudsen’s custody.

“I had a two-year legal battle,” said Knudsen, fighting back tears. “Things changed.”

Knudsen said that the court case for Tim’s custody began in May 2019, and estimated that it lasted until early 2022.

Knudsen estimated that the DDS investigation into him began in March 2019. On Oct. 23, 2019, DDS notified Knudsen that accusations of “financial exploitation and medical neglect” had been substantiated.  

Motions filed by Andy on Nov. 21, 2019, paint a damning picture of Knudsen, accusing him of “devious, dangerous, reckless, dishonest, and violent behavior” and calling for his removal on the grounds that Knudsen’s care of Tim “places him at risk of serious injury or death” because of his inability to “monitor his weight or health” and his “indulgence” of Tim’s “every desire.”

The filings accused Knudsen of suffering from an eating disorder himself, rendering him incapable of watching Tim’s weight. They said that Tim gained at least 100 pounds since entering Knudsen’s care, leading to the development of cellulitis in Tim’s legs.

“This is a very dangerous condition that can lead to sepsis,” read the motion. “It is painful and has led to hospitalization.”

The documents also depict Knudsen’s relationship to Tim as one forged out of financial convenience, rather than a genuine care for Tim.  Andy accused Knudsen of “threatening” the Ds in 2008, with the possibility of him renting out his additional bedroom if Tim didn’t move in with him, eliminating Tim’s chances of staying overnight. The court documents also said Tim was “quite happy living alone and experiencing some level of independence in his apartment,” and that he felt “compelled to move in” with Knudsen to “maintain their relationship.”

The Ds later learned that Knudsen had filed for bankruptcy in 2008 and accused him of pushing for Tim to move in with him out of selfish financial intent.

The Ds’ motions offered a breakdown of Knudsen’s finances. The motions assert that he received $1,117.51 a month from DDS for Room and Board, $1,632.39 per month in Special Support Payments to cover additional or unexpected expenses related to Tim’s care, and $276.65 per month for Tim’s personal needs allowance. If true, then Knudsen received $36,318.58 per year from DDS.

Regarding the financial assistance provided to Knudsen by the Ds, the motions assert that Knudsen was paid $3,300 per month, plus a $400 bonus, or a total of $40,000 a year. Additionally, the Ds claim to have given Knudsen a $1,000 bonus and $1,000 check each year for his birthday, and that one year they gave him a $2,000 bonus. Andy also claimed to have made a one-time payment of $1,000 to Knudsen for rent alone, and to have lent him $5,000 for an eye surgery Knudsen needed, a loan which they said they ended up forgiving. 

If the alleged compensation provided by these filings is true, then on average, Knudsen’s average yearly compensation for Tim’s care, when combining his parents’ contributions and various state payments, would be $72,998.78 per year, not considering his birthday bonuses.

The filing also maintains that Andy was unaware of the financial compensation that Knudsen had received from the state, and that Knudsen accepted their payment with the knowledge of their ignorance of DDS’s financial support. It accused Knudsen of “screaming [at] and badgering Andy for more money when no money was owed to him,” and “exhibiting hostility toward Andy in many ways.”

Knudsen was accused of “inappropriately” asking Andy for an increase in payment without consulting Ava, successfully convincing her to give him an additional $20,000 so “he could afford to leave a part-time job.” Andy allegedly discovered that Knudsen was receiving state compensation shortly thereafter, in a conversation with an unnamed CCH representative.

“Andy learned of this shocking and underhanded behavior after the increase was made,” read the filing. “Knudsen’s actions were a graphic indication of his devious character and intent to defraud Respondent for the purpose of gaining access to Tim D’s funds for his own gain.”

Andy also claimed in the filings to have not known that Knudsen was the manager of the account which received Tim’s Social Security payments. Knudsen allegedly denied Andy access to the account, claiming it was linked to his own, and denied Andy’s request to separate them.

Furthermore, the filings assert that Knudsen played an active role in opposing Andy’s rekindling of his relationship to his son. Knudsen was accused of blocking Andy’s cell number after the Christmas blowout. The filings also accused Knudsen of cancelling last minute on previously agreed upon arrangements that would have let Andy spend time with Tim and of attempting to alienate Tim from his father by telling him, “his father did not care about him.” 

The filings asserted that Andy’s “previously loving and cordial relationship” with his son was sabotaged by Knudsen’s “controlling, irrational and inappropriate behaviors,” and that Knudsen’s attempts to do so hurt Tim’s “self-esteem and wellbeing.” The filings claim that Andy and K were only able to get a hold of Tim after calling on K’s cell phone, as Knudsen did not have her number blocked.

“Andy has always cared for Tim, and they enjoyed a positive relationship until John E. Knudsen tarnished it,” read the filing.

The filings also tell a notably harsher version of the events that transpired on Dec. 25, 2018, than the one in the police report. The filing accused Knudsen of being “verbally abusive and of committing violence against the respondent [Andy].”

“He was angry Respondent visited with his beloved son and sought to regain control over the relationship,” read the petition. “Respondent was shaken, afraid, and upset by the situation.”

Ultimately, Andy’s filings said Knudsen’s objective was “receiving and controlling” Tim’s money and called him “emotionally unstable and volatile.”

“In light of his underhanded, manipulative, controlling and abusive behavior, he cannot be trusted to serve as Tim D’s fiduciary,” concluded the filing.

“I’m not perfect, I never said that I was, but they’re saying I was medically neglectful,” said Knudsen, in response to the CCH’s substantiation of findings against him. “I was not. I had every month, [passed with] flying colors.”

Knudsen pointed to a letter written Aug. 17, 2018, by Chuck Kittredge, a resource compliance coordinator at DDS, who performed monthly reviews of Knudsen’s financial, medical and program documents.  Kittredge wrote that Knudsen’s work “can be used as an example to others.”

“Since I began working in this program with John in 2014, he has consistently demonstrated a strong ability and commitment to the program and to the individual in his care,” wrote Kittredge. “His proactive approach and organizational skills have enabled him to maintain outstanding financial and medical records and to earn excellent annual licensing inspection reviews.”

Knudsen admitted that while both he and Tim have lost weight since being separated, he was frustrated at the fact that the state was able to put limitations on Tim that he himself was forbidden from doing.

“The state just literally limited him from what he could eat and, ironically, I couldn’t,” said Knudsen. “I was told I had locks on the pantry, and I was told that if I come into this program, I can’t use those locks.”

Knudsen also found it astounding that his inability to keep Tim’s weight in-check was qualified as neglect. 

“The funny thing is, for the medical neglect as well, they’ve charged me with a serious thing, and yet, how does that work?” said Knudsen. “Because does every caregiver in my capacity that’s a CCH provider – if their ward is not in perfect physical shape, weight wise or other, then those folks should also be under the same scrutiny that I was.”

On the topic of finances, Knudsen stressed the meticulous care with which he maintained receipts, bank records, and other documents. He asked how claims of financial exploitation could be substantiated when every month prior he was audited and always passed muster. Ironically, Knudsen showed a tweet made from DDS’s account on Aug. 14, 2019, while the investigation against him was ongoing, of an event booth containing a photograph of him and Tim being used as promotional material for the CCH program.

“Tim and I, we were the good guys, we were the poster children for [the CCH program], right?” said Knudsen. “Even while the investigation was going on supposedly, they had a picture of us hung up, at a booth, saying how wonderful we are.”

Knudsen said that, despite Calo’s previously agreed upon tacit approval of the Knudsen’s finances, she denied knowledge of the moment he started to request further assistance. 

“She was well aware of the situation,” said Knudsen. “She denied having any knowledge.”

Knudsen said he knew of other instances in which families provided financial or material assistance to CCH providers, but that administrators played favorites. Knudsen claimed that one provider in Meriden received a car from a sibling of their ward, but that since the provider was friends with Keppler, nothing was done about it.

“Jill [Keppler] was very friendly with this woman,” said Knudsen. “She received the car, and Jill never reported anything.”

Knudsen said that for “a good part of that time,” while he was being investigated by DDS, he wasn’t being paid by either the state or the D family. In an email sent to his brother, Michael, in December 2019, Knudsen refutes the claims made by Andy that the D’s had no knowledge of the payments he received from DDS upon entry into the CCH program.

In the email, Knudsen asserts that he was “forced” to retire from his prior job at a phone company when he took on the duty of Tim’s full-time care provider, because he used up all of his leave. 

“I did this knowing and advising Andy and Ava that my Social Security was going to be greatly reduced as well as any further savings into my retirement plan,” wrote Knudsen. “So when they say that they had no knowledge that I was receiving a stipend from DDS not only are they wrong but they are lying.”

 Knudsen asserted in the email, as well as to Inside Investigator in person, that he never made money caring for Tim, but took on the responsibility at a loss. Knudsen wrote in the email that caring for Tim has “cost me thousands and thousands of dollars” of his own personal funds. Knudsen said that the court battle required him to wipe clean his savings account to pay legal fees throughout the dispute, and that he ended up owing close to $50,000 in back taxes.

Knudsen also included an email to Ava from July 2019, showing a breakdown of his finances. It asserted that he received $6,049.29 per month, and spent $6,003 on his and Tim’s living expenses, giving him a net monthly profit of $46.29. 

Knudsen believes that the D’s were in it for the money.

“This was always over money,” said Knudsen. “They were made because I was ‘double dipping,’ but as you can see, I was getting by and both sides knew this was what I needed to do in order to give Tim the care and home he deserved.”

The gravest allegation made against Knudsen during his court case, and the one he most vehemently denies, was that he had a sexual relationship with Tim. Knudsen said that the night before his court proceedings began, he got a call from his lawyer to inform him that an anonymous caller contacted Tim’s therapist, claiming they had seen Knudsen kissing Tim on the lips.

“One, I would never do that,” said Knudsen. “Two, who would know, if they saw me, who would know that Tim is a part of DDS, part of the CCH program, connected with me? It just seems like a setup.”

Knudsen said the claim was “disgusting,” and that it was Ava who stated in court that he had “a queer relationship” with Tim.  Knudsen recounted a trip to London that Ava booked for him and Tim in which she only booked one, single-bed room.

“Guess where I slept?” said Knudsen. “The bathtub.”

Knudsen found the accusation of sexual misconduct not only deeply offensive, but ironic and hypocritical, and has accusations of his own. Knudsen provided an email chain between him and Kay in which the two discussed various weight loss methods for Tim. While Knudsen suggested a willingness to try different diets, and to abide by Kay’s suggestion that he only buy Tim organic foods, Kay proposed more drastic measures to incentivize weight loss.

“Years ago Andy looked into getting a prostitute for him (safe manual sex which is what he wants) but the thought was that he would want more and more and become obsessed with it” wrote Kay. “Andy has always felt bad that Tim has no sexual fulfillment and is totally convinced that the eating is related to it. Perhaps if a prostitute were one of his goal rewards? I don’t mean that I am right with this idea.”

“We are at our wits’ end and don’t feel that we can let this ride any longer,” wrote Kay. “Tim is in danger because of his weight and his age, and I am sick with worry for him. Our one idea is to promise a reward of his being with a woman if he loses weight.”

Knudsen pushed back on the idea, writing that hiring a prostitute for Tim may have unintended mental and emotional consequences.

“Sex is so complicated and ever more so when it’s the very first time,” replied Knudsen. “I honestly don’t know if the outcome would create more problems mentally or not and would he want/need more encounters to fill a sexual need rather than masturbation? Would it make him feel worse if he could not have more encounters immediately, and how will he react?”

Knudsen instead shared his belief that just the two of them offering Tim a day of their time would be enough incentive. Kay said that she didn’t think “spending a day with us would qualify as an inspirational reward” as “he sees us regularly and we always come to whatever he invites us to. She said that her and Andy “have considered all the implications around having Tim spend sexual time with a woman,” and that it has been a subject of debate between the two “for years.” 

“Our concerns have kept us from going forward with the idea, but we feel desperate now and are looking for something to inspire him as nothing else has,” wrote Kay. “For years he has asked his dad to get him a woman. It is a very tricky consideration but one we are willing to give some more thought to it if it means inspiring Tim to lose weight and thereby saving his life.”

Knudsen also seemed spurned by the claim against him due to the close relationship he had with Ava in the past.

“She would often say to me that I was like the father that he never had because Andy was just not there,” said Knudsen.

Knudsen had documentation to show just how close of a relationship he had with Tim’s parents beforehand. To enter the CCH program, Knudsen was told by Keppler that he must revoke his plenary guardianship for Tim, which was originally granted to him in 2010. In 2013, Knudsen submitted a petition before the court to do so, and Ava wrote a letter to the judge, asking that his guardianship rights be retained.

“On several occasions, Tim has had to be admitted to the emergency room of a hospital and if John were not empowered to act on his behalf the results could have been tragic,” wrote Ava. “My son’s welfare will be endangered if John cannot act as his guardian. Additionally, John is a thoughtful, professional and nurturing caregiver who has demonstrated his unwavering dedication and commitment to Tim’s well-being and happiness for going on 13 years.”

Knudsen also had documentation to back the assertion that Andy had an estranged relationship to his son for most of Tim’s life. Tim’s DDS personnel file, authored by two former CCH behaviorists of Tim’s and dated from Oct. 2017 to Oct. 2018, said that Tim had a “positive relationship” with his mother and “and is working on, with the help of John (CCH provider), building a better relationship with his father, who lives in New York and New Jersey, respectively.”

The file noted that at the age of 14, Tim’s parents, who lived in New York City at the time, placed him in a residential school in Kentucky where he experienced “whipping for behavior while there.” The file reports that Tim was diagnosed with PTSD due to these experiences, and noted that his paternal grandfather, Andy’s father, “was quite verbally abusive and critical towards him.”

Knudsen insisted that any funds he received, whether from the state or the Ds, were for the care of Tim. Knudsen shared that he had amended his will so that Tim would be given his apartment when Knudsen dies.

“I even had in my will a codicil, so that Tim would always have his home here,” said Knudsen. “If I died, all my savings and everything would go to the maintenance of the house, and he would just have to pay a nominal room and board.”

The amendment was kept in his collection of court documents and is dated Jan. 19, 2017. It stipulated that Tim should remain in the home either until he dies, or his parents or DDS determine it is “in his best interests” that he be moved. It also stipulated that no funds from his estate would be used to supplement his expenses, but stated instead that a separate trust has been set up for Tim to help cover those costs.

“This request now gives me peace of mind that Tim will be able to reside in his home and not be subject to living in an institution which is no home at all,” concluded Knudsen’s request.

Knudsen said that one DDS employee told him during his battle for Tim that he “coddled him too much,” a claim Knudsen disagrees with.

“I did not coddle him, I loved him,” said Knudsen. “He got the short end of the stick in life, and I want to make sure that stick got bigger, because he deserved that.”

Knudsen wasn’t the only person who vouched for his care of Tim. One nurse that has worked with the two, who wished to remain anonymous and will be referred to as Erin, spoke to Inside Investigator in support of Knudsen’s care, as did Allison Pikiell, who at one time served as Tim’s behaviorist.

“I oversaw the home that the client resided in and reviewed and periodically went over all his medical data and information for, I have to say, probably two to three years,” said Erin. “So I’ve come to know both John and the client [Tim] fairly well.”

Erin said she had to make visits quarterly, but that she often visited more frequently than that due to Tim’s medical issues. In addition, she also attended several of Tim’s medical appointments upon Knudsen’s request.

“I would see Tim, talk to Tim, meet with John, and then I would review his entire medical record from start to finish,” said Erin. “I would have to say, his level of care for Tim was really impeccable.”

Erin said that “not all my clients and their caretakers” met the same criteria that John did. She said she thought that Tim considered Knudsen as a parent and said that Knudsen’s home “was an enjoyable home to go to for me.” Erin said that she worked as a nurse for 10-12 CCH providers at a time, and that she wished that more of the providers she worked with “were more like John.”

“While I was overseeing his case, everything was done in a timely manner and kept in an orderly fashion,” said Erin. “John kept up on all the appointments that Tim required, all of the follow-ups, blood work, labs, everything was always in its place, and it made my job so much easier.”

Erin said she thought Tim “looked up to and respected” Knudsen, and that the respect was mutual. 

“He was very attentive,” said Erin. “Never did I fear that the care was not being done or given, or that the follow up was inadequate.”

Erin said that she did not foresee Tim being removed from Knudsen’s care and was “not involved” with the process of Tim’s removal. She said that she never was contacted by the D family, but that it isn’t unusual for that to be the case with the families of CCH wards. She did note that she had heard from Knudsen that the family could be “difficult.”

“The father was very removed and the mother didn’t come around that much either,” said Erin. “I just thought for parents that states they’re so involved, they’re so caring, they really were uninvolved, and they weren’t around much.”

Erin said she was subpoenaed for Knudsen’s custody case of Tim, and had to spend a day in court, but was kept in a separate room and never called to testify, an experience shared by Pikiell. She said that she was “shocked” when it happened.

“You know, him of all people, him of all my CCH cases,” said Erin. “There were other CCH cases that I felt weren’t getting half the care that he was getting.”

Erin said that she has not seen any other wards taken due to weight concerns, and that she felt that Knudsen did try to lower Tim’s weight. Like Knudsen, she also mentioned that providers could be limited in the measures taken to lower wards’ weight, mentioning that providers are barred from locking refrigerators or cupboards.

“I think John tried as much as he could with his weight, to get his weight down, but I don’t think it was a real easy time,” said Erin.

Erin stated the only other times she’d seen wards get moved are when they don’t get along well with their provider, not by the wish of families or DDS. Erin also said that she saw CCH officials turn a blind eye to certain providers dependent upon the relationship administrators had with them.

“That was a frustrating part of my job,” said Erin. “If I identified concerns that I had, and I took it to my supervisor who took it to the head of CCH, I felt that the issue was not addressed or addressed adequately. That was very disappointing.”

Erin said she encountered providers on several occasions where appointments weren’t followed, the paperwork was inadequate and described the issues as being “repeated and across the board.” 

Erin also said that she didn’t see any signs of a sexual relationship between the two.

Pikiell was Tim’s behaviorist for approximately two and a half years. Her job was to conduct quarterly checkups on John to ensure he was taking proper care of Tim. Pikiell said that she checked on everything from Tim’s medication, behavior plans, and summed up her job as ultimately making sure that Tim was being treated right.

“He had a good relationship with Tim, and Tim loved him, and it appeared mutual, between the two of them” said Pikiell. “They seemed more like family, so to speak, which was really the idea behind the CCH program, to incorporate that person into your family.” 

Pikiell said that she worked 32 “long ass years” at DDS before retiring in 2018. She guessed that she saw Knudsen and Tim once every month or two, and that she would attend some of the parties he would throw for other providers and team members. 

She said that Tim’s parents “appeared to adore” Knudsen, but that things went downhill because of the financial disputes Knudsen had with both the Ds and CCH administrators.

“I think it really came down to the money,” said Pikiell. “He once had a good relationship with the director, Kathy Calo, and then that went south, everything else appeared to go south.”

Pikiell said that she didn’t notice anything unusual about John’s relationship to Tim and said she was confident in her ability to tell if anything was awry. She said she found the claims that John had a sexual relationship with Tim was “very troubling.”

“Being that I was around him and spent time with him, I certainly believe that Tim would have had the ability to say if someone was doing something to him that maybe he didn’t want them to do,” said Pikiell.

“Tim being verbal, regardless of his vulnerable state, would have probably, certainly, said something, if he was feeling a certain way,” said Pikiell. “He expressed himself rather appropriately, including him not wanting to leave John’s.”

Pikiell said that she had seen Tim after he was removed from John’s care, saying he was “sad” and “pleading to go back.” She said John was “mortified,” at that time.

“He went from living with someone, and he ended up living on his own, with someone checking in on him, which really wouldn’t have been appropriate for him,” said Pikiell. “Especially based on Tim’s ability to care for himself.”

Pikiell reiterated Knudsen’s claims that other providers received financial support from families. She recalled families paying for trips and even buying vehicles for providers. 

“It definitely occurred in other instances,” said Pikiell.

Ultimately, Pikiell believes that her advocacy for Knudsen during the removal process put her on the outs with CCH management. She said they encouraged her to spend more time working for the employee union, SEIU 1199, and tried to take her cases away from her. She described fellow staff members at that time as “two-faced,” and said that there was a lot of “closed door talking.”

“I went against, basically, my boss and everybody else and so, you know, I was the bad guy,” said Pikiell. “They definitely tried their hardest to do what they could [to get me to leave.]”

Pikiell said that Calo ultimately tried to ship her off to another region of the CCH program, which she said would violate the terms of her unit’s bargaining agreement.  Her issues with CCH reached their climax when she attended a meeting of regional staff, at which she said Calo “used her platform to drag me through the mud.”

“Without using my name, she was targeting me through this entire meeting,” said Pikiell. “I ended up turning her in after the fact.”

Pikiell said went to HR and wrote a statement, which prompted an investigation. Pikiell said the investigation took “a couple of weeks,” and that in the end, “really nothing happened to her.” After this, Pikiell, who had also been dealing with health issues at the time, filed for retirement.

Her falling out with program managers did not end there, however. Pikiell said after retiring, she attempted to become licensed as a CCH provider and was strung along and ultimately denied. Pikiell said she intended to provide care to a ward whose family was based out of Morris, Connecticut, and said they were “kind of devastated, because they really wanted him to live with me.”

“When I retired, I tried to get my own license to open up a CCH program,” said Pikiell. “They led me all the way to the bitter end from everything that I had to complete to get my license, to then tell me that I did not- they denied me a license.”

At the conclusion of the case, a ruling by Judge Michael Brandt that was released in early 2022, Knudsen was ordered to stop all contact with Tim. That hasn’t stopped him from trying, however. Andy and Kay said they know he still attempts to contact Tim, and that he even attempted to get a job at one of Tim’s day programs.

“He even showed up at All Care, where we kept our son, he even tried getting a job there,” said Kay. “He’s obsessed with our son and it’s very unhealthy.”

Knudsen brought another case in 2022 to get visitation rights but couldn’t afford to hire representation and subsequently lost. Furthermore, Knudsen claimed that Tim’s guardian ad litem, DDS officials, and Tim’s parents succeeded in alienating Tim from him, further tanking his chances in court.

The order extends to Donohue and Crockett as well, which Knudsen believes is unfair. Crockett, who Knudsen put on speaker phone at one point during Inside Investigator’s interview with him, noted that he attempted to visit Tim after the conclusion of the case but was denied access. Crockett and Knudsen both attested that Tim attempted to maintain contact as well. Knudsen recalled a time in which he and Crockett were together when Tim called, which Crockett confirmed to be true.

“He cried and he said how he missed you,” said Crockett. “At the time, I was thinking everything was good for me, because the mother told me I could go and see him, and when I got there, they wouldn’t let me.”

Tim has now been placed into care at a state-run apartment in Meriden. Both Knudsen and the Ds said that Tim’s weight loss has been successful, with Kay saying that he has lost over 100 pounds since being placed in state care. Knudsen said he was happy that Tim is physically healthier but is worried about his social health.

“Everything was taken away from him,” said Knudsen. “I think, on the state’s part, they could have worked with the parents to make sure that these folks that were in his life are still a part of his life.”

Even though it’s been five years since Knudsen lost his rights as Tim’s caretaker, even though the judge and various CCH officials have told Knudsen that he needs to move on, Knudsen still struggles to come to terms. Financially, Knudsen has been wiped out by the lengthy court proceedings.

“I’ve been clinically depressed since, my whole world has changed,” said Knudsen. “My whole retirement is basically gone.”

Regardless, Knudsen said he would do it all again if he could.

“I would do it again,” said Knudsen. “I would do everything all over again. Tim is like my son, and if you had a son, you would do everything that you could too.”

If you have experienced corruption or abuse in connection with DDS or other Connecticut state services, please email brandon@insideinvestgator.org

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