Kids Found in 'Putrid' Storage Unit While Parents Slept in SUV
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Quick Read
Summary
Takeaways
- ❖Milwaukee police rescued six children, aged 2 months to 9 years, from a locked storage unit after an employee heard cries.
- ❖The unit lacked light, running water, or electricity, and smelled 'putrid,' with a bucket serving as the children's bathroom.
- ❖The parents, Charles De Priest and Asia Zelinsky, were found asleep in their SUV with their dog, more than an hour after the children were discovered.
- ❖Children reported being told to be quiet, the 9-year-old was responsible for caring for his siblings, and parents allegedly drank alcohol and smoked marijuana in the unit.
- ❖Authorities stated the parents had multiple housing options and community support but chose not to use them.
- ❖Charles De Priest, a convicted felon, was found with a loaded gun in the SUV and was later found guilty of nine charges, including felony child neglect and illegal firearm possession.
- ❖De Priest was sentenced to 5 years in prison and 5 years of supervised release; Zelinsky received 18 months probation for her cooperation and testimony against him.
- ❖The children were placed in state custody following the parents' arrest.
Insights
1Squalid Living Conditions and Parental Neglect
Six children, ranging from 2 months to 9 years old, were discovered by police in a locked storage unit in Milwaukee. The unit was described as 'putrid,' lacking light, running water, or electricity, with a bucket used for sanitation. The children reported staying there multiple times a week for several weeks, and the 9-year-old was tasked with caring for his younger siblings, including feeding the infant.
Police body cam video and photos showed the conditions; officers described the smell as 'putrid.' The criminal complaint detailed the children's ages and responsibilities. The 9-year-old stated he was often hungry and responsible for feeding the 2-month-old. (, , )
2Parents' Rejection of Available Support
Despite claims of homelessness, authorities, including police and homeless advocates, asserted that the parents, Charles De Priest and Asia Zelinsky, had multiple options for housing and support. They reportedly rejected confirmed permanent housing after leaving a Milwaukee Rescue Mission and had assistance from multiple family members and government benefits of about $2,000 monthly.
The host stated, 'Authorities say the parents had options besides placing their children in a storage unit alone.' The Milwaukee Rescue Mission confirmed they had secured permanent housing for the family that was never utilized. Prosecutors alleged the couple received $2,000 a month in government benefits. (, , )
3Legal Outcomes and Differential Sentencing
Charles De Priest was found guilty of nine charges, including five counts of felony child neglect, three counts of misdemeanor child neglect, and felony possession of a firearm by a felon. He was sentenced to 5 years in prison and 5 years of supervised release. Asia Zelinsky, in contrast, received 18 months probation for her cooperation and testimony against De Priest, with prosecutors acknowledging her role in an emotionally and physically abusive relationship.
De Priest pleaded not guilty but a jury found him guilty of all nine charges. The prosecutor stated, 'The state recommends 5 years initial confinement followed by 5 years of extended supervision.' For Zelinsky, the prosecutor noted, 'Ms. Zelinski is significantly less culpable than Mr. DuPriest... She was in an emotionally and physically abusive relationship.' (, , )
Notable Moments
Police discover crying children inside a locked storage unit and call for bolt cutters to gain entry.
This is the initial, dramatic discovery that sets the entire case in motion, highlighting the immediate danger and distress the children faced.
Children's testimony reveals their responsibilities and living conditions, including the 9-year-old caring for siblings and parents' substance abuse.
The children's accounts provide heartbreaking details of the neglect, exposing the severe emotional and physical toll of their environment and the parents' irresponsibility.
Charles De Priest's defiant and legally-focused responses during his arrest, questioning jurisdiction and police procedures.
This interaction reveals De Priest's perceived understanding of the law and his attempt to shift blame, contrasting sharply with the severity of the charges and the welfare of his children.
Prosecutor's statement at sentencing emphasizes that the case is about parental choices, not poverty, and details the lasting harm to the children.
This clarifies the legal and moral stance of the prosecution, underscoring that the parents actively rejected help and caused harm, rather than being victims of circumstance, and highlights the long-term psychological impact on the children.
Quotes
"Okay. Uh first of all, locker B as in boy 58, it sounds like there's two kids in the locker. Is there anyone able to meet us here with a bolt cutter?"
"Authorities say the parents had options besides placing their children in a storage unit alone, including a newborn baby."
"The 9-year-old reportedly told investigators it was his responsibility to care for his five siblings. He says that he's often hungry. And it was his responsibility to feed the 2-month-old, to give that baby a bottle."
"You sitting here telling me you're going to take my kids even though the city knew that we were sleeping in the storage unit."
"This case is not about punishing poverty. It is about holding a parent accountable for choices that put children in danger."
"Ms. Zelinski is significantly less culpable than Mr. DuPriest. The evidence at trial and her sentencing memo established that dynamic. She was in an emotionally and physically abusive relationship, and that context is critical to understanding her conduct."
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