Milwaukee Dad Sentenced After 6 Kids Found Locked in ‘Putrid’ Storage Unit with Urine Bucket

A Milwaukee father will spend the next five years in prison after authorities discovered his six young children living in a locked, “putrid” storage unit last fall. Charles Dupriest, 33, received his sentence Thursday following a January conviction on multiple counts of child neglect and felony firearm possession.

The court’s decision marks the conclusion of a harrowing investigation that began in September 2025. Milwaukee police, alerted by reports of a child crying, discovered the siblings—ranging in age from two months to nine years—confined in total darkness behind a padlocked door near 27th Street and Silver Spring Drive.

Evidence presented during the trial painted a grim picture of the conditions the children endured. Firefighters had to cut the lock to reach the siblings, who had survived for approximately six weeks without electricity, running water, or consistent food.

According to investigative reports, the unit smelled of human waste as the children were forced to use a bucket as a makeshift toilet. The oldest children told investigators they were forced to forage for food in trash cans and were tasked with quieting the infant to avoid detection while their parents were away.

While the defense suggested financial hardship, the prosecution successfully argued that the situation was a result of dangerous parental decisions rather than systemic poverty. Assistant District Attorney Thomas Hasle emphasized that Dupriest and the children’s mother, Azyia Zielinski, had access to alternative housing and assistance from relatives but chose to ignore those options.

While the children suffered in the unit, Dupriest and Zielinski were located sleeping in a nearby SUV.

“This case is not about punishing poverty,” Hasle stated during the proceedings. “It is about holding a parent accountable for choices that put children in danger.”

Judge presiding over the case sentenced Dupriest to:

• Five years in state prison for the firearm conviction.
• Five years of extended supervision following his release.
• 18-month concurrent sentences for five felony counts of child neglect.
• Mandatory parenting classes and mental health treatment.

Zielinski, 26, previously pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor counts of child neglect. In March, she received a stayed sentence of 18 months and was instead placed on 18 months of probation.

The children remain in the care of child protective services. During his final address to the court, Dupriest acknowledged his absence would affect his children but argued for leniency, a plea the court ultimately weighed against the severity of the endangerment.