3 days ago
Waukesha child abandonment case; parents charged, wanted
The Brief
Two children were found "in a completely wild, unkept state" at a Waukesha apartment that was "a complete and total mess."
The parents are now charged with child abandonment, and a warrant was issued for their arrest.
WARNING: Details of this story may be disturbing to some readers.
WAUKESHA, Wis. - Waukesha County prosecutors said two children were found naked "in a completely wild, unkept state" at an apartment that was "a complete and total mess." Now, the parents are charged with child abandonment.
In Court
Court records warrants were issued for the arrests of 31-year-old Jessica Borkert and 36-year-old James Domoracki after they failed to appear in court on Thursday.
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What they're saying
Waukesha police were called to a multi-level apartment on Jan. 9. A criminal complaint states the kids, ages 2 and 4 at the time, were found screaming and crying.
Prosecutors said Borkert and Domoracki left their children with a grandmother, who has mobility issues. The grandmother said she tried to stay on top of things but could not travel up and down stairs, did not have a vehicle and could not go anywhere to get food, supplies or medicine and was unable to take the children out of the residence.
Court filings described the apartment as "a complete and total mess." The front door could not fully open because there was "junk everywhere." One of the children slept on a bare mattress "with stains and cockroaches." The apartment was "cluttered with toys, bags of garbage, clothes and blankets." The walls were "covered in dirt, dust, and other unknown substances."
Both children are nonverbal and were "in a completely wild, unkept state," per the complaint. One of the children had bruises, scratches and dirt "all over him." The child also had matted hair and smelled of urine.
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Dig deeper
Court filings said the grandmother told investigators that she lived with Borkert, Domoracki and the children until the parents left roughly two months earlier and did not come back.
A detective spoke to Borkert days after the children were found. The complaint states she said she had gotten work in the Grafton area, which was "too far to come back to Waukesha." She said she and Domoracki had been staying at an Oak Creek motel, which court filings said appeared to be further away from Grafton than Waukesha.
Prosecutors said detectives questioned Borkert on how the parents were supporting the grandmother while they were gone, during which she was "evasive." Domoracki said he would try to send food and diapers "via Walmart shopping" but he "ran out of money."
Detectives reviewed the parents' shared cellphone, per the complaint, which found the "majority of text conversations" were indicative of "active participation in narcotics use and trade."
The Source
Information in this report is from the Waukesha County District Attorney's Office and Wisconsin Circuit Court.
