Who is Dashja Turner? Wisconsin mother charged with neglect as 5 malnourished children discovered in basement
RACINE, WISCONSIN: Racine police have arrested Dashja Turner, a mother of five, following a disturbing discovery of her children living in dire conditions within a basement. The children were found malnourished, leading to serious charges of child neglect.
During a recent court appearance, a judge established a $250,000 bond which was later increased to $1 million for Turner, who now faces five counts of child neglect. A preliminary hearing is set for August 16, per CBS.
Who is Dashja Turner?
Turner is a mother of 5 who lives in Racine, Wisconsin. She originally hails from Fresno, California. She has been arrested after her children were found living in a basement under distressing conditions.
Children found malnourished and potentially abused
The distressing incident unfolded in July when authorities stumbled upon Turner's five children, ranging in age from 1 to 14, living in a dimly lit and unsanitary basement. The windows were reportedly covered in purple paint, as outlined in a recently disclosed criminal complaint.
The condition of the children was deeply concerning, as they appeared weak, fatigued, and unkempt, with visible marks on their bodies suggesting potential abuse.
All the children were severely malnourished, weighing below 55 pounds. The youngest child weighed merely 10 pounds, a stark contrast to the typical 28-pound average for a 14-month-old.
On July 31, around 3:34 pm, authorities from the police and the Human Services Department visited a residence near Metron Court to perform a welfare check on the children living in the basement. This basement was unfinished, poorly lit, and devoid of any sustenance.
"There was one twin-size air mattress in the first room of the basement. On the air mattress, there were four frail, unkempt children. The mattress had a single sheet covering it. No pillows or blankets," the complaint states, per Cleveland News.
Dashja Turner allegedly lied about children being homeschooled
Turner claimed that the children were being homeschooled, but investigations revealed that they had not received any educational attention for several years.
"I haven't seen my son since 2020," Rickie Stevens told WISN. Stevens informed that his 7-year-old son was living with Turner, his mother when she was arrested.
Similarly, Demitrice Brooks' 14-year-old daughter was also living with Turner. Brooks hurried to Racine from Evansville, Indiana, seeking answers about the situation. "That f****** hurts," Brooks said. "It's painful."
"We are dads that will take care of our kids with no problem. You could of just gave them up and them kids would have been in our custody and living very healthy," Stevens said.
Both Brooks and Stevens shared that they have made numerous attempts to see their children but have been unsuccessful so far. "It hurts very badly because I’m begging, texting you every holiday, every birthday, like, 'Can I have my son?' 'Where are you?' I get ignored," Stevens said.
When asked what they would say to their child after seeing them, Stevens replied, "I love you, and I missed you, son. I missed you so much. I begged for you, but I'm here now," Stevens replied.