A woman from Pontiac, Michigan, who reportedly abandoned her kids for years and forced them to survive at home on weekly food drop-offs, has now been charged by authorities.
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The Oakland County Sheriff's Office announced the charges in an updated press release on February 19. The press release names the previously unidentified suspect as Kelli Marie Bryant, 34. Bryant faces three counts of first-degree child abuse. The three-count warrant was signed on the 19th by 50th District Court Judge Ronda Gross.
The press release explains that a conviction on the charges carries a penalty of up to life in prison or any term of years. As for the children, prosecutors reportedly intend to file a petition to terminate the mother's rights to their care.
The Home Was So Disgusting An Investigator Had To Wear A HAZMAT Suit
We recently reported on the deplorable conditions Bryant reportedly forced her children to live in. Per a press release from the Sheriff's Office on February 16, three children were in the house. A 15-year-old boy and two girls aged 13 and 12. The landlord drew police attention to the residence, as he had not heard from the mother since December and was concerned.
Police described the living conditions as 'absolute squalor' with piles of garbage up to four feet high inside the house. Officers found human waste and mold, and the toilet was overflowing. The boy allegedly told police his mother abandoned them in 2021 or 2022. The three siblings lived on infrequent food drop-offs. However, these reportedly didn't include essentials like toilet paper or personal hygiene items. Neighbors allegedly didn't even know children lived at the house, although they did see the mother drop things off each month.
Education authorities never flagged the children because they never even went to school. The three reportedly spent their days watching TV in the filthy home and playing games. The press release explains that the house was so disgusting that the evidence technician gathered evidence while wearing a HAZMAT suit.
Officers reportedly found the mother at another location and arrested her without incident. When the children were evaluated in the hospital, they were wearing soiled clothing, and their toenails were several inches long. The length of their nails made it difficult for them to walk, and it appeared that the children did not know how to use personal hygiene items.
