Racine child neglect, 5 kids rescued from basement: complaint

RACINE, Wis. - A Racine mother faces five counts of child neglect causing great bodily harm after five children, ages 14 months to 14 years, were rescued from a basement near 11th Street and Metron Court.

Police arrested Dashja Turner on July 31 when officers joined CPS for a welfare check after the landlord reported five children were in the basement.

According to a criminal complaint, police found the five kids in the unfinished basement with no food, no bathroom, exposed wooden stairs and one light with a pull cord. One window was covered with purple paint.

Dashja Turner

Prosecutors say four children were found on a twin-size mattress, and Turner and a fifth child were found in an adjoining room. The complaint describes the children as "frail, lethargic, and unkempt." Social workers took custody of the children, and they were taken to Children's Wisconsin.

Prosecutors say the children were severely malnourished. At least one had signs of physical abuse, and another told investigators they got a "whopping with a belt" from a man who stayed in the basement with Turner.

"There's complete neglect and abuse; no food, completely malnourished children basically washing away and in the .01 percentile in the weight that they should be," said Brooke Erickson, Racine County assistant district attorney.

Racine child neglect

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According to the complaint, Turner denied neglecting the children, saying they used the upstairs bathroom, and she bathed them using soapy water from a bucket. She claimed they "eat the basics," listing various foods, but police said none of those items were found at the home when the children were detained. She said medical conditions related to the children being malnourished were "genetic." She also denied any physical abuse, prosecutors say, saying the injuries were caused by kids fighting. The complaint says she also told investigators the kids were homeschooled.

Turner made her initial appearance in court on Aug. 10. 

"The absolutely abhorrent conditions that these children were in warrant $1 million cash," said Erickson.

Dashja Turner

The court commissioner agreed with the state's request and set cash bond at $1 million.

"It's just really, really sad for everybody involved," said John Bjelajac, Racine County court commissioner.