A 34-year-old Pontiac woman has been charged with three counts of first-degree child abuse for allegedly abandoning her three children in 2020 and forcing them to live in squalor and neglect for at least four years. The children, ages 12, 13, and 15, were found living in horrifying conditions, with piles of garbage and feces throughout the house, broken toilets, and no access to hygiene products. The mother, Kelli Bryant, has had her parental rights requested to be terminated by the prosecutor.
The children were discovered by authorities after the landlord became concerned when he had no contact with the mother since December and rent had not been paid since October. The children were found with matted hair and long toenails, and had not had any formal schooling since being abandoned during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The mother has been described as someone who put fear into her children and deprived them of love and care. She was not providing for their basic needs and had lied to family and friends about their whereabouts. The children’s father had been in prison in prior years and had limited involvement due to the mother’s restrictions on visitation.
The children have been placed with a family member following intervention from Child Protective Services. Officials are investigating the case further and are urging anyone with information about child abuse to contact the CPS hotline. The mother is facing up to life in prison if convicted and remains in jail at this time.
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