Residents of a Wisconsin neighborhood are in disbelief after witnessing two young boys, unclothed and covered in filth, escape from a home where police later discovered deplorable living conditions.
The Milwaukee Police Department responded to a distress call on Thursday after concerned neighbors spotted the boys fleeing the residence. Witnesses reported seeing the children climb out of a window, onto an air conditioning unit, and dash into the street.
Chris Eder, one of the individuals who alerted the authorities, recounted her encounter with the boys to WITI-TV. She immediately sensed that something was amiss. "They had no clothes on. Their hair, it hadn't been brushed," Eder said, visibly disturbed.
Upon examination, prosecutors revealed that the boys, aged 7 and 9, exhibited signs of severe neglect, including being covered in feces, blood, bruises, and red marks. The children were promptly transported to a nearby hospital for medical attention.
Law enforcement officials swiftly apprehended the boys' mother, 34-year-old Katie Koch, and her boyfriend, 38-year-old Joel Manke. According to reports, Manke confessed to locking the boys in their room to prevent them from wandering due to their autism. However, upon entering the residence, police were confronted with a scene of "terrible hoarding" and an overwhelming stench of feces and urine. The children's room was particularly distressing, with feces smeared across the walls.
During a court hearing, Milwaukee County Assistant District Attorney Mallory Davis painted a grim picture of the conditions within the home. "These children were essentially confined to their room for much of their lives. The door had locks from the outside, and the windows were boarded shut," Davis stated. She further revealed that videos and photographs of the residence depicted nearly every inch of the walls covered in human waste.
The criminal complaint filed against Koch and Manke detailed the extent of the boys' suffering. Their hair was so matted with feces that it had to be shaved at the hospital. Shockingly, when Koch was informed of this, she callously dismissed it, claiming that the boys simply needed a haircut.
Investigators discovered that the children had not received proper education or toilet training, rendering them ill-equipped to function in society. In addition to the neglect charges, Koch and Manke face accusations of false imprisonment. Koch faces additional charges of child neglect.
In a disturbing twist, an Instagram account allegedly belonging to Koch hinted at her interest in witchcraft.
Eder, the neighbor who first encountered the boys, described their appearance as one of "pure bewilderment," suggesting that they had never experienced the outside world before. "I'm never going to forget the way they looked when they came running out of that house, never forget that," Eder emotionally expressed. She hopes that the boys realize the genuine concern and care that people have for them.
As the investigation unfolds, authorities are working diligently to ensure the safety and well-being of the two boys.
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