Mother allegedly abandons children for years in 'deplorable' conditions: Authorities

A Michigan mother was charged with first-degree child abuse on Wednesday for allegedly abandoning her children for several years and leaving them in deplorable conditions, according to the Oakland County Sheriff's Department.

Kelly Bryant, 34, from Pontiac, Michigan, allegedly deserted her three children, a 15-year-old boy and two daughters, ages 12 and 13, for approximately four to five years, "leaving them to live alone in absolute squalor," officials said.

"Throughout my extensive career in this field, I have never encountered a scenario as dire and prolonged as this one, involving abandonment, neglect and abuse of the highest order," Sheriff Michael J. Bouchard said in a statement.

Bryant is facing the most serious charges of child abuse and is facing up to life in prison, according to prosecutors.

Prosecutors said on Wednesday that Bryant was living at the home with her four children in 2019, but at some point in 2020 or 2021, she moved out of the house, abandoning three of her children, while the fourth went to live with their father.

Bryant instructed the children to not answer the door or leave the house. Officials said the boy only came out of the house twice, once to feel the grass and another to check the mail.

The children were discovered on Friday afternoon when deputies received a call from a landlord to perform a welfare check at a house in the 600 block of Lydia Lane. The landlord was concerned about the residents because he had not heard from the mother since December and had not received rent since October.

When deputies arrived on the scene, they found the three children in the home, alone, living in horrific conditions. In some rooms of the house, garbage had piled up to 4 feet tall, along with mold and human feces found throughout the residence. The bathtub and toilets were overflowing with human excrement, and authorities said the mother only dropped off trash bags, gloves and Febreze back in 2020. When police entered the home with the landlord, the daughters were hiding in the bathroom, while the son was hiding in another room.

"It appeared that the children were unfamiliar with how to use personal hygiene items or know how to flush a toilet," the sheriff's department said.

The boy told authorities that he and his two sisters had been living alone since 2020 or 2021, and that the three of them survived on prepared food delivered once a week. Officials said companies like Instacart or DoorDash were delivering the food, not knowing the kids were inside.

Authorities said recently the children were only receiving a loaf of bread that was supposed to last three to four days.

The young boy told authorities he had been in contact with his mother, but it appeared "she had not seen the girls in years."

"It kind of reminds me of the commercials you see where animals are living in very deplorable conditions," Bouchard told ABC News. "Take that times 10, and that's what the kids were living in for years."

The children had not attended school since their abandonment, passing time by watching television and playing games. When discovered, the children were wearing soiled clothing, had matted hair and toenails several inches long — making it challenging to walk. The boy slept on a mattress while the two girls slept on pizza boxes, officials said.

The children told authorities they were afraid of how Bryant would react if they ever left the home.

The woman was found at another location and arrested without incident, officials said. She told authorities the father of the children was not involved in their lives. Officials confirmed on Tuesday that the father had been incarcerated for a period of time and had no contact with the children. But upon his release, he filed paperwork for visitation rights, but the mother would still not allow him to see the children, officials said.

Neighbors were not aware of the children's living conditions and told authorities they only saw the mother dropping things off at the house. The family of the children was also unaware of the situation, since the mother told them the children were with a babysitter, officials said.

"Everybody is upset about it," said Pontiac resident Emma Gross, who lives a few streets over from where the children were found. "This is right in our neighborhood. How could something like this happen?"

Bryant remains in custody at Oakland County Jail and prosecutors are advising the court to terminate Bryant's parental rights. Detectives determined there were no other "accomplices" to this incident, officials said.

The children were examined at a hospital for evaluation — appearing to be in "good health" — and have been placed in the custody of a relative via Child Protective Services, officials said.

Bouchard said the "far-reaching consequences of this abuse must be acknowledged" and that the department plans to figure out how these children "fell through the cracks on so many levels with relatives, the community and with schools."

"We look forward to presenting this case to the prosecutor and ensuring that she faces the consequences of her actions," Bouchard said.

The community has donated clothing for the children, and authorities confirm a financial donation will be set up, as well.