Horror in Milwaukee: Couple Arrested for Locking Up Their Six Children in a Storage Unit

Couple arrested in Milwaukee

Parents face serious charges

Court sets high bail

A couple from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, faces serious child neglect charges after police discovered their six children living in inhumane conditions inside a storage unit.

The discovery took place on Tuesday, September 16, at the StorSafe facility, following a report of a crying child that alerted authorities.

When officers arrived, they noticed a nauseating odor and heard the cough of a child coming from the padlocked unit.

Firefighters had to cut the lock to free the children, whose ages ranged from just two months to nine years old.

Children of Couple Arrested in Milwaukee Were in Deplorable Conditions

Horror in Milwaukee: Couple Arrested for Locking Up Their Six Children-Photo: Shutterstock

Inside, authorities found a sectional sofa, a single mattress without sheets, and a bucket of urine serving as the only toilet.

The only light came from a small slit under the metal door, leaving the children in near darkness for weeks.

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The parents, identified as Charles Dupriest, 33, and Azyia Zielinski, 26, were arrested minutes later in the parking lot.

They were sleeping in their SUV with a dog, despite the vehicle having three rows of available seats.

Parents’ Background

Police found a loaded firearm inside the SUV, leading to an additional charge against Dupriest for illegal possession of a weapon.

The man is also listed as a registered sex offender, worsening his legal situation.

Both were charged with six counts of child neglect, four of which are considered felonies for involving children under six years old.

Authorities described the case as one of the most shocking incidents in Milwaukee in recent years.

Harrowing Accounts from the Children

During interviews, the children said they had been locked in the unit for weeks, relying on their nine-year-old brother to feed and care for the baby.

Some described physical punishments by Dupriest and said their parents drank alcohol and smoked inside the unit or in the vehicle.

A five-year-old girl confessed that they were told “not to make noise” so as not to attract attention.

These testimonies were supported by the deplorable conditions found at the site of their confinement.

Azyia Zielinski’s Version

Azyia Zielinski admitted the family had been living in the storage unit for about six weeks after being expelled from a women’s shelter.

She explained that they survived on food stamps, donations, and Social Security benefits.

However, she acknowledged that they could have left the children with relatives, which authorities consider a serious omission.

“They could have been in a safe place, but instead they locked them in a storage unit without the minimum hygiene conditions,” prosecutors stated.

Hearing and Judicial Reactions

At the first hearing, the court set cash bail at $5,000 for Azyia Zielinski and $20,000 for Dupriest.

Both must return to court on September 25 for a preliminary hearing.

Commissioner Andrea Bolender emphasized the severity of the case: “These children will carry scars for life; this court has the duty to protect them.”

The six minors were placed under the custody of social services while the legal process against their parents moves forward, reported PEOPLE.