'We just wanted them to be warm': Mother testifies in trial of Milwaukee father accused of locking kids in storage unit
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Tuesday was the second day of the jury trial for a Milwaukee man charged for locking his six children in a storage unit.
Charles Dupriest
Charles Dupriest, 33, is charged with eight counts of child neglect, including five felonies and three misdemeanors; he also faces a felony for possessing a firearm.
It was a difficult morning for some family members at the Milwaukee County Courthouse Tuesday, Jan. 13, as they took the stand.
The mother of the children, Azyia Zielinski, shed tears as she described the difficult times that fell on her family while they were experiencing homelessness.
Dupriest appeared in court in a tan button-up.
According to court documents, Dupriest was found with Zielinski and their dog in a vehicle Sept. 16, 2025, and their six children were found in the storage unit.
Zielinski testified the family was living at Joy House, a shelter in Milwaukee, before they were “kicked out after she gave birth.”
She said they were working on finding housing when they were arrested, but many shelters told them they couldn't take them with the number of children they had.
Director of Joy House Aurelia Brown testified that Zielinski and her children stayed at Joy House until mid-July 2025. Brown said Zielinski refused to share information about her finances with Joy House.
“Our hands were tied when Zielinski first came to the shelter,” Brown said. “She wouldn’t share anything with us.”
Zielinski said the night of the arrest, the children were locked in the storage unit to keep them safe in an area where gun violence was common. The couple was found asleep with their dog to lay low and ultimately try to keep their children safe.
Azyia Zielinski
Zielinski reached a plea agreement with prosecutors, making her guilty of two misdemeanor charges. The four felony counts were dismissed. She will be sentenced in March.
During testimony Tuesday, we also heard from doctors, police officers, and forensic interviews of some of the children who were found in the storage unit.
The prosecution said they'll call a total of 15 witnesses. Ten were called Tuesday, and the final witnesses are expected Wednesday morning.
Dupriest is expected to take the stand, according to the defense.