Amanda Pitts is a reporter for NBC Connecticut and can be seen on the weekday early evening newscasts. She joined the team in the fall of 2023.
A native of southern New England, Amanda was born in Taunton, Massachusetts, but grew up in the East Bay of Rhode Island. She has a passion for breaking news and sharing people’s stories.
She started her career in news in 2016 as an assignment desk editor for ABC6 in Providence and began on-air reporting in 2017 at Fox 40 in Binghamton, New York. In 2018, Amanda moved back to Rhode Island and worked as a reporter at ABC6 for three years and at WPRI 12 for the last two years.
During her five years in Providence, Amanda covered some of the biggest stories in the state, including the riot in downtown Providence, the Nathan Carman insurance trial, blizzards, hurricanes and tornadoes, and every aspect of the COVID-19 pandemic – from the initial lockdown to vaccine rollouts. Amanda also shed light on the issue of sexual assault in the military with an investigation into an alleged sexual assault within the Rhode Island National Guard which was a part of a station-wide Edward R. Murrow award for overall excellence.
In her spare time, Amanda likes to travel and try new restaurants, spend time with friends, family, and her cat Opie, and sing in her a cappella chorus.
The Latest
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Woman accused of holding stepson captive for 20 years pleads not guilty
Kimberly Sullivan, a Waterbury woman who is accused of locking her emaciated stepson in a room in their home and starving him for decades, appeared in Waterbury Superior Court on Friday, where she entered a not guilty plea and the judge ordered that she be under GPS monitoring. Judge Joseph Schwartz said he decided that GPS monitoring was appropriate given…
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Waterbury man held captive: Biological mother and sister speak out
NBC Connecticut sat down with the biological mother and half sister of the man who said he was held captive by his stepmother for 20 years inside a Waterbury home. In their first on-camera interview together, the man’s mother, Tracy Vallerand, and his half sister, Heather Tessman, spoke about the allegations that have rocked their worlds, and garnered national attention....
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A look at the case: Woman accused of holding stepson captive in Waterbury for 20 years
A Connecticut woman who is accused of locking her emaciated stepson in a room and holding him captive for nearly 20 years will face a judge on Wednesday.
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State police to open up applications for new recruits
At the end of March, Connecticut State Police are opening up applications for the next recruitment class. The department is hoping to fill open roles as more troopers are set to retire in the coming years. You have to be at least 21 years old, but don’t need a college degree. The recruitment process opens on March 31 and closes…
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March Madness is busiest time of year for sports betting in Connecticut
It’s officially the start of March Madness and with games tipping off, people are busy placing bets on their lucky teams. At Mohegan Sun’s FanDuel Sportsbook, Thursday and Friday are their busiest of the year. “This year is definitely going to be bigger than the Super Bowl. So, I think people are realizing now, I don’t have to fly...
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Former classmate of man allegedly held captive for 20 years reflects on school years
As NBC Connecticut continues to dig into the case of a man who claims he was held captive by his stepmother inside a Waterbury home for 20 years, we’re hearing from former classmates of the victim who are sharing their memories of him. Louis Collette remembers asking about the man, then a young student at the now-closed Barnard Elementary School….
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‘I'm heartbroken': Biological mother of Waterbury victim speaks out
The biological mother of the man who said he was held captive in a Waterbury home for 20 years speaks out exclusively to NBC Connecticut. The 52-year-old, who wishes to remain anonymous, was emotional as she spoke to NBC Connecticut on Monday, saying she’d been looking for her son for decades. She got a call last week from her sister…
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Family raised concerns after Waterbury neglect victim found locked in closet as a child
We’re learning new details in the case of a man who said he was held captive in a Waterbury home for more than two decades. The Department of Children and Families insists they have no records connected to the case, but one family member said concerns were raised years ago. “It’s so devastating the way he’s been treated,” said...
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‘Worse than a jail cell': Police describe conditions of man held in captivity for 20 years
Officials described the disturbing conditions that a Waterbury, Connecticut, man endured during 20 years of captivity.
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Waterbury woman accused of holding malnourished stepson captive for 20 years
A Waterbury woman is accused of holding her stepson captive for 20 years and providing little water and little food.
