A Wisconsin mother has been sentenced to six years in prison after allowing her five children to become so malnourished that they were in the .01 percentile of the weight they should be for their ages.
Sentencing and Charges
Dashja L Turner, 35, pleaded guilty to three counts of child neglect causing great bodily harm. The charges stemmed from her failure to provide adequate care for her children. Turner was originally charged with five counts of child neglect—one for each child—but two charges were dropped as part of her plea agreement. After serving her prison sentence, she will be on probation for nine years.
Discovery of the Children’s Condition
The case came to light in July 2023, when authorities were called to Turner’s home in Racine, located on the shores of Lake Michigan, about 30 miles southeast of Milwaukee. Police were sent to conduct a welfare check after the children’s landlord expressed concern for their well-being.
Upon entering the home, officers discovered that the children, ranging in age from 14 months to 14 years old, were living in deplorable conditions. They were found malnourished, frail, lethargic, and unclean, without food or access to a bathroom. The children were living in an unfinished basement, and the only window was covered in purple paint.
Four of the children were found on a single, twin air mattress in one room, while the fifth child was in a separate room.
Severe Malnutrition and Abuse
Brooke Erickson, the Racine County Assistant District Attorney, described the children’s condition during Turner’s first court appearance. “There’s complete neglect and abuse,” Erickson said, noting that the children were in the .01 percentile for weight compared to others their age, indicating severe malnutrition.
In addition to the neglect, one child showed signs of physical abuse, and another child had been struck with a belt by Laquan Russell, a man living with Turner. Russell, 34, has been charged with three counts of child abuse and two counts of child neglect, and his case is still ongoing.
Father’s Pain and Reaction
The children’s father, Rickie Stevens, expressed his pain and frustration, telling local media, “It hurts very badly because I’m begging, texting you every holiday, every birthday, like ‘Can I have my son?’ ‘Where are you?’ Get ignored.”
The father of the 14-year-old girl said she weighed only 54 pounds, which is drastically below the healthy weight for a child of her age.
Ongoing Investigation
The case has sparked outrage, and authorities continue to investigate the extent of the abuse and neglect. The community is grappling with the shocking details of the children’s condition and the betrayal by their mother.
