A pair has been taken into custody following the discovery of six children, including an infant just two months old, residing in appalling conditions inside a storage unit. Police were alerted to the storage facility in the early hours of September 16 after a passerby heard a child crying. Upon arrival, law enforcement found the children, aged between two months and nine years, inside the unit. The duration of their confinement was not immediately clear, but fortunately, they appeared unharmed. Azyia Zielinski, 26, and Charles Dupriest, 33, have been charged in connection with the incident.
Detectives described the dim, windowless unit as chaotic, containing only a sectional couch, a bare twin mattress with no sheets, soda, milk, and chip boxes. However, there was no running water, electricity, or lighting, and an orange bucket filled with urine was present in the center of the room. The strong odor inside the unit made it unbearable for detectives to stay inside.
Zielinski faced emotional court proceedings, charged with six counts of child neglect, while Dupriest faced charges of child neglect and possession of a firearm by a felon. The children mentioned their displeasure of having to sleep in the unit while their pet dog slept in the car where Zielinski and Dupriest were found sleeping.
Neighbors reported seeing the family with children around the storage unit, located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, since the summer. However, another tenant and a person storing vehicles at the facility stated they had never seen any children there, raising questions about the situation. Concerns over security prompted one individual to consider finding an alternative storage solution.
The investigation into the circumstances leading to the children being left in the storage unit continues. Authorities have confirmed that the children were unhoused and emphasized the importance of focusing on the well-being of the children moving forward. The case will be reviewed by the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office, while attempts to contact the storage facility’s management for comments were unsuccessful.