RACINE, Wis. — Updated: 11:06 AM CST Feb 16, 2024
The discovery of five malnourished children, ages 1 to 14, living in a dark and unfinished basement of a Racine home first made headlines in August. It led to the arrest of their mother, Dashja Turner, who is currently in the Racine County Jail on a $1,000,000 bond.
Now, six months later, WISN 12 News has uncovered red flags that may have been missed.
"I was angry," one person with knowledge of the situation, who spoke to 12 News on the condition of anonymity, said. "I was angry at the fact that my department let these children down."
The department in question is the Racine's Neighborhood Enhancement Division.
"They were fully aware of the children being in the basement, and they dropped the ball. They didn't do anything," the source told 12 News.
"Fully aware for how many days?" WISN 12 News Hannah Hilyard asked.
"The first time was on July 14 when the initial interior inspection was done and pictures were taken," they responded.
WISN 12 News obtained documents and photos of that inspection through a public records request. It details several violations found inside the home, including a photo of a broken basement handrail. In the background of the photo associated with that violation, a small, skinny child on a filthy mattress can be seen. The photo was time stamped 11:18 a.m. July 14.
It wasn't until July 31, 17 days later, a criminal complaint said a property manager stopped by the home to fix some smoke detectors. She spotted the children in the basement and immediately called authorities. The Racine Police Department removed the five children from the home that same day.
WISN 12 News talked to the landlord in the days following.
"They looked skinny. They looked like they had not been bathed," the property manager, who did not want to be identified, said in August.
WISN 12 News wanted to ask the city of Racine why it appears inspectors did not go to police July 14. They declined our request for an interview Thursday.
However, they did provide this statement:
"On July 14, Neighborhood Enhancement Division (NED) performed an inspection at 1123 Metron Court. The inspector found habitability violations. Due to the seriousness of these violations, these habitability violations needed to be corrected within five days. The inspector informed the property management of these violations.
City of Racine is currently reviewing our internal procedures, training, and reporting processes to ensure the upmost safety and fast responsiveness of reporting concerns surrounding unsafe living conditions for children within the City of Racine."
"How can you not see something in a crucial moment like that and not report it," the person with knowledge of the city department said. "What we did as a department was unacceptable."
Right now, Turner, the children's mother, is charged with five counts of child neglect. Her boyfriend, Laquan Russell, is the father of two of those children. He's charged with child neglect and child abuse.
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