Six young children – including an infant – were discovered living inside a storage unit after police were notified of a child’s cries. A couple are now facing multiple neglect charges
Six children found ‘locked’ in storage unit
A couple have been arrested after six children – including a baby who is just two-months-old – were found living in a storage unit in horrific conditions.
Police officers responded to the storage facility at around 1.36 am on Tuesday, September 16, after a member of the public reported a child’s cries.
At the scene, police discovered the six kids, aged two months, 2, 3, 5, 7, and 9. It was unclear exactly how long they’d been left there. Thankfully, none of them appear to have been injured. Azyia Zielinski, 26, and 33-year-old Charles Dupriest have since been charged in connection with this incident.
READ MORE: ‘Heartless’ dad jailed for murder of baby daughter who was ‘starved and burned’
According to a complaint seen by the Mail Online, detectives described the dingy, windowless unit as being in a state of “disarray”. The ‘putrid’ space contained a sectional couch and a bare twin mattress without any bedsheets.
Although soda, milk and boxes of chips were discovered inside the unit, there was no running water, electricity or lighting, while an orange bucket of urine was placed in the centre of the room, according to reports.
The stench was said to be so overpowering that detectives were unable to stay inside the unit. WSCS reports that Zielinski was “emotional and crying” as she appeared in court yesterday, charged with six counts of child neglect. Dupriest has also been charged with one count of possession of a firearm by a felon and six counts of child neglect.
Investigators found Zielinski and Dupriest sleeping in a Ford Expedition in the car park outside with their pet dog. Heartbreakingly, one of the children is said to have told officers: “She was upset the dog got to sleep in the car while she and her siblings slept in the unit.”
Speaking with TMJ4’s Jenna Rae, a neighbour who didn’t wish to be named, shared that she’d seen what appeared to be a family with kids walking both in and around the StorSafe unit, situated on the north side of the city of Milwaukee, in the US state of Wisconsin.
According to this neighbour, she’d observed the group in the vicinity since the summer, and had seen them heading out each morning, before returning at night.
Meanwhile, Donnie Earl, who rents one of the StorSafe units, has expressed confusion, having never seen any children at the location, despite visiting daily. Earl said: “I’m shocked, I’m confused, I’m like, you don’t see kids in here ever. So how is that possible?” They added: “The whole time I’ve been here, I have never seen any kids.”
The network also heard from Mac, who stores his trucking company vehicles at the storage unit facility. Describing the unfolding situation as “crazy right there”, Mac said: “Never seen kids walking around here, no. Not at all.” That’s horrible, you know, where are the parents?”
Mac also revealed he’d likely be looking elsewhere for a storage unit going forward, amid concerns over security. For now, questions remain as to how this could have happened.
At the time of writing, the circumstances that resulted in the children being left in the storage unit remain unknown.
As reported by Fox6News Milwaukee, police have confirmed that the children were “unhoused”, while an anonymous family member stated that online comments had gone too far, in the wake of the worrying discovery.
According to this family member: “Spare these kids the horrible comments. There are a lot of whys. There are a lot of questions. There are a lot of what could have been done to prevent this.”
Expressing relief that the kids were safe, she continued: “At the end of the day, it is about their well-being, making sure their needs are taken care of so they can get the help that they will need going forward.”
The investigation is ongoing, and charges will now be reviewed by the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office.
Although TMJ4 attempted to contact the facility’s on-site manager, they declined to comment. Attempts to contact StorSafe management through a listed phone number reportedly also proved unsuccessful.
The Mirror has reached out to StorSafe for comment.
Do you have a story to share? Email me at [email protected]
READ MORE: Man charged with the alleged murder of mum found dead in Brisbane River