Former sister-in-law discusses Pontiac mother accused of abandoning children
Former sister-in-law reveals more about Michigan mother who allegedly left her children
Charlene Bryant is the former sister-in-law to the charged mother. Charlene hasn't been in contact in years and has loads of questions now. "We all knew she was a bad parent, but I don’t think nobody really realized this was going on," she said. "I just don’t know how the family don’t know when they are so close. "
PONTIAC, Mich. (FOX 2) - The former sister-in-law of a mother accused of leaving her children to live in filth for several years is speaking out the day the mother was charged.
The backstory:
Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald announced the charges on Wednesday, four days after the initial news of horrific conditions inside the Pontiac home, saying that 34-year-old Kelli Bryant is the only one facing criminal charges: three felony counts of first degree child abuse. Each charge carries a maximum jail time of life in prison.
McDonald charged Bryant with three counts of child abuse in the first degree - which could mean life in prison if convicted.
"Morally, there is plenty of responsibility to go around for how this was allowed to happen. However, these three kids were entrusted to the care of their mother, Kelli Bryant. And the evidence suggests that she effectively abandoned them to a revolting pit of refuse and squalor," McDonald said.
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Pontiac mom abandoned kids to ‘revolting pit of refuse and squalor’, prosecutor says
Oakland County Prosecutor said the mother of 3 children abandoned in Pontiac will be charged with child abuse after abandoning them in Pontiac.
Big picture view:
Charlene Bryant is the former sister-in-law to the charged mother. Charlene hasn't been in contact in years and has loads of questions now.
"We all knew she was a bad parent, but I don’t think nobody really realized this was going on," she said. "I just don’t know how the family don’t know when they were so close. "
Meanwhile, McDonald said Bryant lived at the home with all four children back in 2019 but later moved out, leaving three of her children abandoned while one of the kids went to live with their dad.
Detectives say the landlord called police to the home worried about Bryant’s welfare after not getting a rent payment since last October.
That's when the kids were found shaken, scared and covered in feces, according to the prosecutor.
"Honestly, I thought the grandmother was taking care of the children," Charlene said.
Dig deeper:
FOX 2 stopped by the Pontiac home of Bryant’s extended family where police eventually took the children.
No comment was given.
FOX 2 also searched Bryant's Facebook page, which is not set to private, where her content shows her modeling various outfits for the camera.
"She's going to claim she couldn’t afford to take care of her kids, but you got your hair done, you got your nails done, you got new clothes on all your pictures," said Charlene. "Come on now? She needs to go to prison and never see her kids again. Them kids need to go somewhere that’s going to take care of them."
The Source: FOX 2 spoke with former sister-in-law Charlene Bryant and used information from previous stories.