Wisconsin Parents Charged After Six Children Found in Storage Unit

Milwaukee, Wisconsin — Two parents face multiple charges of child neglect after police discovered their six children locked inside a storage unit. Charles Dupriest, 33, and Azyia Zielinski, 26, were charged with two counts of child neglect and four counts of neglecting a child under six years old, according to court records.

Authorities received a report about a child crying in the storage unit located near 27th Street and Silver Spring Drive. When police arrived, they heard the sounds of crying and coughing coming from inside the unit. The Milwaukee Fire Department subsequently cut the padlock to gain access.

Inside the unit, officers found six children aged 9, 7, 5, 3, 2, and 2 months. The conditions were concerning; the unit was filled with a bare mattress, a sofa, and only one bucket for urine. The smell inside was described as “putrid,” with the only source of light coming from a crack at the bottom of the door, per the criminal complaint.

The 9-year-old reportedly told authorities he was responsible for caring for his siblings, including feeding the infant. He mentioned that their parents often drank too much and disciplined them harshly.

Police later found Dupriest and Zielinski sleeping in an SUV outside the storage unit, along with the family dog. The couple claims they had been homeless for around six weeks. Dupriest stated that he had previously stayed in the storage unit with the children but stopped due to an issue with their dog.

Zielinski made her first court appearance on Friday, Sept. 19, where she appeared emotional as the court commissioner detailed the situation. “You had children stating that they had no food and used a bucket as a bathroom,” the commissioner said. “It’s more disturbing that you could have stayed with family members.”

As of now, Zielinski is being held on a $5,000 bond, while Dupriest’s bond is set at $20,000. Efforts to reach the Milwaukee Police Department and the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office for further comments were unsuccessful.

If anyone suspects child abuse, they are encouraged to contact the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child.