Warrick was born and raised in Philadelphia PA. As of season 7, Warrick has never met his father. His mother died when he was seven, leaving Warrick in the care of his maternal grandmother. He grew up in a strict household, and that meant he kept his position as a casino runner (someone who jots down sports bets and runs between casinos to place those bets) a secret from his grandmother. He said once that he was "a ghost" in high school but later told Catherine that while he was a dork, he still had dimples and "got a little action". He was strongly influenced by a community organizer who ran a center that he spent time at after school, but unfortunately his ties to the organizer led to Warrick making terrible decisions with devastating consequences in a Season 3 episode. He put himself through college working as a taxi driver, a bell captain at the Sahara, selling helicopter rides over the Grand Canyon, and a gravedigger.Early in the series it is discovered that Warrick has a severe gambling addiction.