Nightmare in Milwaukee: Children Found Imprisoned In A "Horror Themed" House and Neglected by Their Mother And Her Boyfriend For Several Months

A Wisconsin mother and her live-in partner are facing multiple criminal charges after being accused of neglecting and imprisoning her two young boys in a nightmarish Milwaukee house. 

The children endured a horrifying living situation, confined to their room with windows boarded shut and a latch on the outside. 

Videos and photographs of the home revealed walls covered in human feces, painting a grim picture of their living conditions.

Katie Koch, aged 34, is charged with two felony counts each of chronic neglect of a child, false imprisonment, and two misdemeanor counts of neglecting a child. 

Her boyfriend, Joel Manke, aged 38, faces two counts each of chronic neglect of a child and false imprisonment.

The incident came to light when concerned neighbors witnessed the two boys, aged 7 and 9, running naked through the street, covered in blood, bruises, feces, and red marks. 

The police received multiple 911 calls, and one caller reported seeing a woman forcefully dragging one of the boys back inside the house.

When officers arrived, they found the mother, Katie Koch, appearing anxious and disorganised. 

The house was in a terrible situation, with officers having difficulty seeing the floor due to clutter. 

One of the boys had apparent injuries, and the mother reacted fearfully when questioned about it.

Five neighbors provided additional information, describing the boys' conditions, including one child escaping through a broken window and standing on an AC unit. 

Another neighbor reported not seeing the children outside the house for approximately three years.

Manke, who claimed to be a stepfather figure to the children, admitted to boarding up the window to keep the children from bothering the neighbor and using the latch to lock the children in their room overnight. 

During interviews with the police, both Koch and Manke offered conflicting statements, but Koch eventually admitted to the substandard living conditions and wrote an apology letter to the boys.

On Monday, Koch's bail was set at $30,000 cash, while Manke's bail was set at $6,500 cash. Their next court appearances are scheduled for July 26.

Source - Law and Crime

Meanwhile in another news, a shop owner has been charged with murder for beating his employee to death. See details here