Children Rescued from Locked Storage Unit
Last Tuesday in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, police rescued six children who were found locked inside a storage unit under disturbing conditions.
Authorities were alerted to the situation on the 27th after reports of children crying from within the unit. When officers arrived at the storage facility near Silver Spring, they could hear the sounds of a child crying and another coughing. The Milwaukee Fire Department was called in to break the padlock on the unit. Once inside, they discovered children aged 2, 3, 5, 7, and 9, along with a two-month-old baby.
The unit provided little hope, containing only buckets for the children to relieve themselves, and only a sliver of light entered through cracks in the door.
“We shouldn’t be loud,” one child reportedly told an officer.
The oldest child named his parents as 33-year-old Charles Dupriest and 26-year-old Asia Zielinski, explaining that he had been responsible for locking the door. He also mentioned that he took care of the baby and that there was no way to reach their parents in case of trouble.
Dupriest and Zielinski told the officers, “I drank tequila and vodka, got drunk, fell, collapsed,” as per the child’s account.
Police noted that the stench inside the unit was so rancid they had difficulty remaining inside, even with the door ajar. Inside, a worn sofa and a twin mattress were found, but they lacked sheets. Food options were limited to a box of chips, milk, and soda. The unit was devoid of electricity, lighting, or running water.
Dupriest and Zielinski were reportedly living in an SUV parked at the storage facility and claimed to be homeless, sharing the vehicle with their dog. They admitted that the children had been with them.
Zielinski stated they had lived in the storage unit for about a month and a half, claiming they had been searching for stable housing for seven years. She mentioned receiving assistance from the Women, Infants, and Children Federal Program as well as $2,000 in Social Security benefits.
Despite her claims, a spokesperson for the organization said she had previously reported securing permanent housing before leaving.
Zielinski appeared in court on Friday, where she was reprimanded by the Chief Justice. The judge lamented, “Your children went without food, with only garbage as a food source. They had no bathroom and had to use a bucket,” adding that it was particularly troubling that both parents were said to be present with the children.
Both individuals now face six counts of child negligence and may also be charged with possession of a weapon.
