Young children locked in Milwaukee storage unit; man, woman in custody

MILWAUKEE - Milwaukee police found six young children locked in a storage unit on the city's north side early Tuesday, Sept. 16. A man and woman were taken into custody.

Children found in storage unit

What we know:

Officials say around 1:30 a.m. Tuesday, officers responded to a report of children being locked in a storage unit at the StorSafe lot near 27th and Silver Spring.

When the officers entered the unit, they located a 2-month-old, a 2-year-old, a 3-year-old, a 5-year-old, a 7-year-old and a 9-year-old. No injuries were reported, but police are treating the case as child abuse and neglect.

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A 26-year-old woman and a 33-year-old man were taken into custody.

What they're saying:

Neighbors said they had noticed the children at the site in recent days.

"It touched my heart. I had to come out. I could not believe it," said resident Tonya Lowe. "We have failed these kids. As people, the community."

Lowe said she was shaken by the discovery. 

"They had no support," she said. "We don’t need to be cruel and treat our kids like animals and lock them in places they don’t deserve to be put in."

One woman, who did not want to be on camera because she parks in the lot and worries for her safety, said she saw the children riding bikes there a week ago.

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"I’m surprised they weren’t caught sooner," she said. "I said okay what are the kids doing back there?"

Dig deeper:

The Milwaukee County Department of Health and Human Services said it responded to provide services. 

StorSafe did not provide comment.

Charges will be reviewed by the Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office.