Mom who locked 6 kids, including newborn, in 'putrid' storage unit overnight with only bucket for toilet will avoid prison

A 26-year-old parent successful Wisconsin volition debar situation aft she and her hubby were caught leaving their six children — 4 of whom were nether the property of 6 — locked wrong a retention unit overnight with lone a bucket to usage arsenic a restroom.

A Milwaukee County justice connected Thursday stayed a situation sentence for Azyia C. Zielinski successful favour of probation aft the parent pleaded blameworthy to 2 misdemeanor counts of kid neglect.

During Thursday's sentencing hearing, prosecutors recommended 18 months successful a authorities correctional installation to beryllium stayed for 3 years of probation, provided she implicit an intoxicant and cause maltreatment assessment, parenting class, intelligence wellness treatment, and support implicit sobriety.

The authorities chose not to delve into the underlying facts of Zielinski's crimes, lone referring to the ordeal arsenic a "tremendously bittersweet lawsuit for the six kid victims."

In recommending a probationary disposition focused chiefly connected the defendant's rehabilitation, the authoritative said the punishment was "proportionate to Zielinski's level of culpability and her actions successful this case," adding that she was "significantly little culpable" than her husband.

"She was successful an emotionally and physically abusive narration and that discourse is captious to knowing her conduct," helium said. "This was not an adjacent partnership. It was a one-directional, controlling relationship."

The authoritative besides emphasized that Zielinski testified truthfully against her hubby during his trial.

Zielinski's defence lawyer requested 18 months of probation, saying 3 years was "beyond what is necessary" for her rehabilitation, a process she said the suspect had already begun. She besides emphasized that Zielinski was "incredibly remorseful" for what she enactment her children through.

The justice yet sided with Zielinski, ordering her to service 18 months successful prison, staying that condemnation successful favour of 18 months of probation.

As Law&Crime previously reported, officers with the Milwaukee Police Department astatine 1:33 a.m. connected Sept. 16, 2025, responded to a study of a crying kid wrong a locked retention portion astatine the Storsafe successful the 5500 artifact of North 27th Street. The caller told the dispatcher they were acrophobic for the payment of the baby.

Upon arriving astatine the facility, archetypal responders heard a kid inactive crying wrong retention portion B58, which had a garage-style doorway secured with a padlock. Fire section unit chopped the padlock to summation entry.

After the serviceman announces, "Milwaukee Police, we're coming in," helium enters the pitch-black portion and tin beryllium heard saying, "Hey, what's going connected here?" according to the video played successful court, immoderate of which was posted by section ABC affiliate WISN.

The footage shows a sectional sofa and duplicate furniture surrounded by mounds of items, including a azygous bucket that authorities accidental the children were forced to usage arsenic a toilet.

Officer Nash Dathe reportedly testified that the portion smelled "like it was being utilized arsenic a bathroom."

A transgression ailment obtained by Law&Crime provided further observations made by constabulary aft entering the retention unit.

"Inside, they observed a bucket containing urine successful the mediate of the country and six children ranging successful property from 2 months to 9 years. Detectives aboriginal learned that the lone airy disposable to the children came done the ace of the store door," the ailment says. "[A detective] entered the portion and observed the six children sleeping. Five-year-old 'ED' told [the detective], 'We're not expected to beryllium loud.' Shortly afterward, ED urinated successful an orangish bucket successful the halfway of the unit."

The oldest kid told investigators that helium was "responsible for caring for his 5 younger siblings" erstwhile his parents were not around. Aside from the 2-month-old infant, the children were 9, 7, 5, 3, and 2 years old.

"[The 9-year-old] reported that helium stays astatine the retention portion astir 50% of the clip and that they usage a bucket to urinate and defecate," the affidavit says. "[The 9-year-old] stated helium is expected to springiness the 2-month-old a vessel oregon pacifier and prime her up erstwhile she cries. [The 9-year-old] told [the detective] helium was bare and had nary instrumentality to interaction his parents oregon anyone other successful an emergency."

Police said the stench from wrong was "so putrid they could not stay wrong adjacent with the store doorway open."

An worker astatine the installation allegedly told investigators that helium remembered successful May proceeding a antheral dependable wrong the portion saying "Sit down and beryllium quiet," and saw surveillance footage of the children being dropped disconnected astatine the portion by their parents, which helium reported to management.

At 2:11 a.m., authorities located Dupriest and Zielinski sleeping successful a Ford Expedition parked successful the batch on with their dog. Officers noted that the mediate enactment of the conveyance was wholly unoccupied portion each the children, including their infant, were successful the retention unit.

Dupriest and Zielinski said the household was "homeless," but admitted the children could person been staying with different household members.

In a forensic interview, the 5-year-old miss victim, identified arsenic "LD," said she "felt 'sad' erstwhile locked successful the retention portion and 'mad' truthful she made the portion dirty."

"She said she tried to unfastened the doorway but could not," the affidavit said. "She reported utilizing a bucket to urinate and defecate, sometimes with a container placed inside. She said she was upset the canine got to slumber successful the car portion she and her siblings slept successful the unit. LD stated her parents went to furniture portion the children were inactive awake. She said her begetter carried a firearm, pointing to her hip."

The 9-year-old said his begetter disciplines him with "whoopings," and that aft 1 specified whooping, helium thought helium should spell to the hospital.