A Wisconsin couple is facing serious allegations of severe neglect, accused of confining their five young children in a basement under deplorable conditions, rife with filth, insects, and decaying food for an extended period.

Karianne N. Lindsey and Christian A. Diaz were apprehended last week, each now facing two felony charges of chronic child neglect and three charges of child neglect, according to court documents.

As outlined in a criminal complaint filed with the Waukesha County Circuit Court, the alleged neglect occurred in Oconomowoc, a town approximately 35 miles west of Milwaukee, spanning from May 22, 2022, to September 22, 2025. The authorities claim that the couple, responsible for the children’s well-being, jeopardized their physical, mental, and emotional health through inaction.

The inquiry into Lindsey and Diaz’s conduct began when Lindsey’s mother contacted authorities in September, expressing concern for her grandchildren’s safety and requesting a welfare check at the home located on the 800 block of Autumn Ridge Drive.

When officers arrived, they discovered the family living in a squalid two-bedroom basement. Disturbingly, they found prescription medication bottles easily accessible to the children, who ranged from 2 to 7 years old. The children showed signs of neglect, including bedbug bites, scabs, and other evidence of inadequate hygiene.

When police asked the 7-year-old about a cut on his skin, he allegedly responded that he was fine, saying, “Yeah. I haven’t killed myself yet.”

The couple were in court on Monday for their initial appearance before Circuit Judge David L. Herring. Courtroom footage posted by Milwaukee Fox affiliate WITI provided additional details about the harrowing allegations against the duo.

During the hearing, Assistant District Attorney Kevin J. Galezewski said the neglect suffered by the kids at the hands of Lindsey and Diaz escalated over the years, leaving the victims increasingly vulnerable to their surroundings.

“This neglect case spans years despite multiple attempts at intervention by the CPS and police,” he said. “The children were found in unimaginable conditions and put at risk of death or great bodily harm.”

According to Galezewski, the five victims had been “left to live in filth with human feces and rotting food covering their entire space.” The prosecutor also told the court he was able to confirm that there were “no toothbrushes” recovered from inside of the living space and that none of the kids had ever seen a dentist.

A judge set bond at $25,000 for each defendant. Should they be released, Lindsey and Diaz are prohibited from having any unsupervised contact with the children and may not discuss or strategize with each other about their testimony or the case in general, records show.

They are scheduled to appear in court again for a preliminary hearing on Dec. 1.