Two Milwaukee, WI children found naked & filthy, roaming streets after being locked in room for years

Children found naked & filthy, roaming Milwaukee streets; mom, boyfriend charged with child neglect

A Milwaukee mother and her boyfriend face several felony charges after two children were found roaming the streets of Milwaukee naked and filthy, according to a criminal complaint.

www.tmj4.com

Children found naked & filthy, roaming Milwaukee streets; mom, boyfriend charged with child neglect​

A Milwaukee mother and her boyfriend face several felony charges after two children were found roaming the streets of Milwaukee naked and filthy, according to a criminal complaint.

Katie Koch, 34, and her boyfriend, Joel Manke, 38, face a total of 10 felony charges for chronic neglect of a child and false imprisonment. A criminal complaint says on July 13, neighbors spotted two naked children on the streets near 71st and Dixon.

One neighbor says he spotted the kids in the street as he returned home in his car. He says they appeared to be wearing costumes.

“It looked like they were wearing wigs,” Rick Eder said. “When I got a closer look at them, I looked at my wife and tell her, that’s not costumes. It looked like they were hit with a belt. That was more terrifying than anything, seeing a child like that.”

The children, both under the age of 10 according to the criminal complaint, had broken a window in the house to escape. According to the criminal complaint, the children were covered in lacerations to their backs, shoulders, and lower back and were not clothed. A person who called 911 said it looked like they had bruises and red marks on their thighs.

Eder says, as neighbors tried to approach the children to help, the older child would run away and the younger would plug their ears with their fingers and scream.

“It looked like they haven’t had a bath in a long time,” Eder said. “The way their hair was, you can tell it wasn’t washed or even cut in a long time. Very disturbing. I didn’t think that house was going to be very clean.”

As disturbing as Eder thought this incident was, he felt the inside of the home was likely worse.

According to the criminal complaint, Koch was disheveled. She walked police through the home, which police described as a “terrible hoarding situation.” Trash was piled in a number of rooms and officers noted a strong scent of urine and feces. As officers continued through the home, the scent got stronger as they neared the room the children were staying in. That room had a lock on the outside of the door.

When police entered the room, the complaint says the walls were covered in feces. Koch told police the substance on the walls of the room was “clay, paint and chocolate” according to the criminal complaint, but the officer on scene said it was feces.

During an interview with Koch, police told her the children had to have their heads shaved because “it was full of matted feces.” Koch told police that was okay because they hadn’t had their hair cut in a very long time.

Police also spoke to Koch's boyfriend, Manke. He told police the kids had not been to a medical provider or school during the entire three and a half years they were inside the home.

MORE HORRIFYING DETAILS AT LINK

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

‘Something out of a horror movie’: Mother, man accused of imprisoning children in Milwaukee home - WSVN 7News | Miami News, Weather, Sports | Fort Lauderdale

MILWAUKEE (WDJT) — A Milwaukee mother and another man are facing felony charges for allegedly imprisoning two children in their home for years.In Milwaukee County<a class="excerpt-read-more"...

wsvn.com

‘Something out of a horror movie’: Mother, man accused of imprisoning children in Milwaukee home​

A Milwaukee mother and another man are facing felony charges for allegedly imprisoning two children in their home for years.

In Milwaukee County intake court Monday, July 17, the assistant district attorney described this situation like something out of a horror movie. Neighbors told investigators they saw two children running through the streets covered in feces and blood.

A child witness said the children — two boys ages 7 and 9 — “were acting like cavemen, like they had never seen the sun before.”

Katie Koch, 34, is the mother of the children.

Joel Manke, 38, is schedule to go through intake court in connection to the case; he’s facing four felony counts.

The state said it has a very strong case.

Milwaukee County Assistant District Attorney Mallory Davis said, the children were essentially confined to their room for much of their lives. The windows were boarded up and doors were locked from the outside. Responding officers described it as, “a terrible hoarding situation” in which they could not see the floor.

Koch told officers the children had broken a window and ran away.

The state said the couple moved into the Milwaukee home about three years ago; some of the neighbors interviewed said they didn’t even know children lived in the home during that time.

Conditions were so poor that after the children were taken into protective custody, their heads had to be shaved because their hair was so matted with feces.

“These children have been horribly damaged from their mother’s actions. They are completely uneducated. They are not potty trained, even at their ages. They are, essentially at this point, unable to function in society,” said Davis.

In court today, the court commissioner set a $30,000 cash bail for Koch; a public defender said Koch has no money to post bail

Koch’s preliminary hearing is set for July 26. If convicted on all counts, she faces fines of $140,000 and 60 years in prison.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Wisconsin Cops Discover House of ‘Horror’ After Bloodied Children Escape

Prosecutors allege a 34-year-old mom kept the kids, ages 7 and 9, locked in a squalid bedroom with boarded-up windows for years on end.

www.thedailybeast.com

Authorities first learned of the children’s plight on July 13, when a concerned resident called 911 after spotting “two naked juveniles… walking around the neighborhood with blood on them,” according to the complaint. The caller said the duo had “bruises and red marks on their thighs,” it says.

When the first officer arrived, a group of neighbors pointed them to Koch’s home, saying she had “violently dragged” one of the two kids back inside. The officer “walked towards the house and from the outside heard what he believed to be a quieted cry or whimper,” the complaint states, noting that Koch soon exited the residence through a side door, appearing “flustered and anxious.”

“Koch was continuously pacing and swaying her body and appeared agitated,” the complaint goes on. “Koch’s appearance was overall disheveled. Koch was on the phone with a male and stated, ‘I’m standing outside in the drive way [sic] right now, are you almost home so you can help explain what’s going on, I love you, I love you.’”

Christine Eder, the neighbor who initially called police, told local ABC affiliate WISN, “I'm not going to ever forget the way they looked when they came running out of that house… They didn’t have any clothes on. None. Their hair… looked like it had never been brushed. Their faces was [sic] pure bewilderment. They were just looking all around. I don’t think they’d ever been outside before.”



When Manke showed up a short time later, he explained to police that he had lived in the home since 2007 and that Koch and her boys moved in about three-and-a-half years ago. He said he considered himself a stepdad to the kids, according to the complaint. Manke also told cops that he boarded up the children’s bedroom windows in an attempt to “keep [them] from bothering the nosey neighbor,” it states. The latch on the door was to prevent the kids from “wandering due to what Manke called ‘their autism,’” Manke allegedly said.

He admitted he knew the conditions in which the children were being forced to live were very wrong, but that he had learned to “pick his battles” with Koch, according to the complaint.

“Manke stated that he never contacted police or schools to report the children because he doesn’t believe in doing that to family members,” it continues.

A witness, identified in the complaint only as “MDS,” told police he got home from work at about 1 p.m. on the day of the incident. Roughly two hours later, MDS said he saw one of Koch’s children standing on the air conditioning unit outside their bedroom window. They then—unsuccessfully—tried to climb the fence into MDS’ yard, after which they ran to the front of their own house and started “making their way down the street.”

MDS said he hadn’t seen the boys outside the home in at least three years, and that he had complained to Koch about the sealed bedroom window being “wrong,” according to the complaint. Further, the complaint says MDS claimed he had “concerns about if the kids eat because he never sees groceries being brought into the home but frequently sees Manke bringing in 2 to-go containers for himself and Koch.”

Under questioning by police, Koch allegedly confessed that her kids had never in their lives gone to school. However, while claiming she homeschooled them, Koch also conceded that she simply gave them Hooked on Phonics workbooks and tablets with “educational apps” to use in lieu of actual curricula, the complaint says.

“Koch stated that [the younger boy] cannot write but can trace letters and read ‘small words,’” according to the complaint. “Koch stated that [the older boy] is learning how to put sentences together in proper form.”


“Koch admitted that the home is not habitable,” it concludes. “Koch wrote a 3 page apology letter to the boys.”

In court on Monday, Milwaukee County Assistant District Attorney Mallory Davis told the judge, “These children have been horribly damaged from their mother’s actions. They are completely uneducated. They are not potty trained, even at their ages. They are, essentially at this point, unable to function in society.”Koch remains detained on $30,000 cash bail, which her public defender said in court she could not post. Manke’s bail was set at $6,500. Each is charged with two felony counts of chronic neglect of a child and false imprisonment; Koch is also facing two additional misdemeanor counts of neglecting a child.

If convicted, Manke faces a maximum of nearly 44 years in prison. Koch also faces 44 years, plus an additional 18 months on the two misdemeanor charges. They are both due back in court on July 26.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Oof. Before and after.

 

[GrandmaBear]

I am APOPLECTIC. Maybe this is not murder but some things are worse maybe. BOND of $30K and $6,500????????????? Of course this is Wisconsin, a notoriously low bond state and many counties rarely cash bonds either.

I don't need to go into what all clearly has been done to these children because we all read it and know everything it means and they aren't facing LIFE? Of course not, no murder. Why can't they charge incident after incident after incident of abuse or assault, etc. and run them all sentences consecutively. Because it doesn't work like that I suppose. You know there is something wrong with a system that can't charge for this according to WHAT WAS DONE TO THESE BOYS and give NO BOND or at least a HIGH BOND.

This is being taken far too lightly apparently by the judge and system. Get RID of whatever judge and prosecutor that can't do better than this and find other charges and throw the book at them. And/or change the damned laws. DISGUSTED that this could even go on or be the case but I'm not totally surprised. We had bond for murder that was a JOKE. And that was murder.

 

[GrandmaBear]

Oof. Before and after.

View attachment 19868 View attachment 19867

Let me put feces in their hair!!!!!!!!!!!! Hes may have her own in it, pretty bad. And she was it seems pretty attractive.

I'd also add that I don't consider hoarding keeping your garbage and feces. Hoarding is of junk and stuff. I don't care how they are trying to make it apply to the homes of pigs.

One would ask why she had or even kept her children? The answer? The BENEFITS of COURSE.

 

[KareBear]

Oof. Before and after.

View attachment 19868 View attachment 19867

First photo, filt-tastic.
Second photo, no filter.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

First photo, filt-tastic.
Second photo, no filter.

100% true, but no filter would fix those second pictures.
That's not a filter, that's drugs.

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To everyone, yes there are photos of the kids on their Instagrams. Do NOT post them here.

 

[GrandmaBear]

First photo, filt-tastic.
Second photo, no filter.

Hello! Nice to see you!

Despite the fact it is on a thread of this nature.

 

[Kimster]

Filthy beasts! I sure hope that justice is swift on this case. And may the right people take care of these children from now on.

 

[MamaDee943]

WHY would anyone choose to live like that and treat their children worse than animals??? I don't get it. It makes me wonder, how could they live in that house with the smell it must have been?
How did the kids stay alive, if they were not fed?? Was she just too lazy or what?
Oh, and then to try to justify everything with some stupid answer about the "nosy neighbors."
My heart hurts.

 

[Guess Who]

WHY would anyone choose to live like that and treat their children worse than animals??? I don't get it. It makes me wonder, how could they live in that house with the smell it must have been?
How did the kids stay alive, if they were not fed?? Was she just too lazy or what?
Oh, and then to try to justify everything with some stupid answer about the "nosy neighbors."
My heart hurts.

staying in a state of "checked out" would do it. Often that is pills/heroin. They tend to make your "give a sh!tter" not work at all. I would say meth, but they don't have the typical meth addict look

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

'Something out of a horror movie': Mother and boyfriend accused of imprisoning children in Milwaukee home for years

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- A Milwaukee mother and her boyfriend are facing multiple felony charges for allegedly imprisoning two children in their home for years. Katie Koch, 34, is the mother of the child

www.cbs58.com

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Milwaukee child neglect suspect released on $6,500 cash bond, his family speaks out

One of two people charged in a child neglect case was released from custody after posting his $6,500 cash bond.

www.tmj4.com

Milwaukee child neglect suspect released on $6,500 cash bond, his family speaks out​

One of two people charged in a child neglect case was released from custody after posting his $6,500 cash bond.


"I think he would've done things differently, but it's not like he didn't tell her and he didn't try," Manke's mother Diane told TMJ4 News.

Diane was clear that what happened with the children was wrong. She added that while Manke is not the father he worked and helped provide for the children.

Diane disputed claims the children were not allowed outside.

"He took them to the park and outside. They were down by the lake. They did things, but that's what I want people to know. They didn't keep them in a house trapped up in a room," Diane said.

Diane says she and her son encouraged Koch to enroll the kids into a program to help with their special needs.

"Joel tried his hardest to get the kids to go to school. What more can you do when you're not the dad? You can tell the mom, but she didn't want to do that," Diane said.

TMJ4 News located the children's biological father over the phone and asked if he was aware of the children's situation.

He declined to comment.

Diane was surprised by the details that surfaced.

Up until a year and a half ago, Diane said would see Manke and Koch with the children.

"When they were here she was good, always watching over them," Diane recalled. "He's trying. I just wish he would've tried harder so none of this would've come about."

Diane said when police got involved the children stayed with her for a few days. However, she struggled to physically keep up with them citing their special needs, and they were returned to a social worker.

Koch remains in the Milwaukee County Jail.

 

[KareBear]

Hello! Nice to see you!

Despite the fact it is on a thread of this nature.

Hey there Nice to see you too!!! And yes, this thread right here.. this is beyond words! Where did their humanity go!?

 

[KareBear]

100% true, but no filter would fix those second pictures.
That's not a filter, that's drugs.

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To everyone, yes there are photos of the kids on their Instagrams. Do NOT post them here.

View attachment 19872 View attachment 19874 View attachment 19875

It's hard to put a thumbs up on their photos. Did they ever take photos with the children? Like, ever?

I totally agree on the drugs part. How else could a person let their environment get so bad without giving it another thought? Drugs better be the excuse, not that it is an excuse, but just saying.

 

[GrandmaBear]

staying in a state of "checked out" would do it. Often that is pills/heroin. They tend to make your "give a sh!tter" not work at all. I would say meth, but they don't have the typical meth addict look

On the other hand sometimes there are just bad people and there doesn't need to be an excuse of drugs or anything else. Maybe there's evidence here I guess I don't know, I am barely keeping up.

But I am saying that there is just always a tendency these days to put things down to something. I have no doubt it may likely be drugs but funny sometimes how they can function in other ways just fine...

 

[Guess Who]

On the other hand sometimes there are just bad people and there doesn't need to be an excuse of drugs or anything else. Maybe there's evidence here I guess I don't know, I am barely keeping up.

But I am saying that there is just always a tendency these days to put things down to something. I have no doubt it may likely be drugs but funny sometimes how they can function in other ways just fine...

They all looked healthy a few years ago and what was presumably their house, appeared well kept.

 

[GrandmaBear]

Milwaukee child neglect suspect released on $6,500 cash bond, his family speaks out

One of two people charged in a child neglect case was released from custody after posting his $6,500 cash bond.

www.tmj4.com

Milwaukee child neglect suspect released on $6,500 cash bond, his family speaks out​

One of two people charged in a child neglect case was released from custody after posting his $6,500 cash bond.


"I think he would've done things differently, but it's not like he didn't tell her and he didn't try," Manke's mother Diane told TMJ4 News.

Diane was clear that what happened with the children was wrong. She added that while Manke is not the father he worked and helped provide for the children.

Diane disputed claims the children were not allowed outside.

"He took them to the park and outside. They were down by the lake. They did things, but that's what I want people to know. They didn't keep them in a house trapped up in a room," Diane said.

Diane says she and her son encouraged Koch to enroll the kids into a program to help with their special needs.

"Joel tried his hardest to get the kids to go to school. What more can you do when you're not the dad? You can tell the mom, but she didn't want to do that," Diane said.

TMJ4 News located the children's biological father over the phone and asked if he was aware of the children's situation.

He declined to comment.

Diane was surprised by the details that surfaced.

Up until a year and a half ago, Diane said would see Manke and Koch with the children.

"When they were here she was good, always watching over them," Diane recalled. "He's trying. I just wish he would've tried harder so none of this would've come about."

Diane said when police got involved the children stayed with her for a few days. However, she struggled to physically keep up with them citing their special needs, and they were returned to a social worker.

Koch remains in the Milwaukee County Jail.

Great excuses. I guess stepping in on behalf of children is unheard of any more AND in your own home and you saw it, enabled it and more. And perhaps participated.
And he's out on bond go figure.

He could get meals for himself and her, has money for bond, apparently the home and yard were kept up on the outside for the most part if a current pic. Etc.

Woe he is some MAN isn't he. Way to go defending the children. NOT.

This case is almost too much to bear and the children are alive.

WHO is going to be able to even take care of them or handle it?

UNBELIEVABLE.

 

[KareBear]

Great excuses. I guess stepping in on behalf of children is unheard of any more AND in your own home and you saw it, enabled it and more. And perhaps participated.
And he's out on bond go figure.

He could get meals for himself and her, has money for bond, apparently the home and yard were kept up on the outside for the most part if a current pic. Etc.

Woe he is some MAN isn't he. Way to go defending the children. NOT.

This case is almost too much to bear and the children are alive.

WHO is going to be able to even take care of them or handle it?

UNBELIEVABLE.

Yea, I worry for their future as well. I read (in one of the articles posted above) that the boyfriends mom had temporary custody of the children but returned them to child services because their special needs were too much for her to take on. I also bet her son needed a place to go to when he was bailed out, and he wouldn't be able to go to mom's if the children were there.