'Horrific': Pontiac mayor disturbed at details of squalor abandoned kids were left to live in
Pontiac mayor horrified at 3 children abandoned in home for years
The children — ages 15, 13 and 12, were treated at an area hospital and are now staying with family in an undisclosed location.
PONTIAC, Mich. (FOX 2) - WARNING: The details of this story are disturbing.
Questions surround the stunning suspected case of abuse and neglect — three Pontiac children living alone, in a house of horrors for years.
The backstory:
Trash was piled three to four feet high, mold, human waste, the toilet overflowing, the bathtub filled with feces.
Authorities say the three children have been living alone in the deplorable conditions since 2021 after their mother allegedly had abandoned them. Prepared food was dropped off once a week on the front porch.
Like many, Pontiac Mayor Tim Greimel was left alarmed by the discovery.
"It’s horrific, I mean it really is - it’s not just the material neglect, the health neglect," he said. "But the emotional and psychological abuse that this entails."
The kids were discovered Friday in the Lydia Lane condominium during a welfare check — the landlord called police because he hadn’t heard from the mother since December.
Mayor Greimel told FOX 2 the landlord is at fault because he didn’t register the property as a rental property with the city.
"And if it had been registered as a rental property, then we would have been doing periodic rental unit inspections of the property every few years," he said.
The children — ages 15, 13 and 12, were treated at an area hospital and are now staying with family in an undisclosed location.
Their mother was arrested and is in custody at the Oakland County Jail.
Related: Children found abandoned in filthy Pontiac home; sheriff's office collecting donations
Linda Kisse and her daughter Jackie joined others from the community, dropping off things at the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office for the kids.
"It’s just heartbreaking that someone would do that to the children," she said.
"I brought toiletries, soap, feminine products and shampoo and conditioner and lotion," said Jackie Kisse.
All things the children did not have while living in this house or horrors.
"It’s just terrible," Linda said. "I can’t imagine. I’m a nurse, so I’ve seen some things but never something like that."
What you can do:
New and gently used clothing donations are being accepted for the children, who are currently living with a family member.
Clothes sizes needed:
Girl's size 12 clothing and girl's size 6.5 shoes for the 12-year-old girl.
Girl's size 14 clothing and girl's size 7 shoes for the 13-year-old girl.
Medium men's clothing and size 9 shoes for the 15-year-old boy.
Donations can be dropped off at the county campus at 1200 N Telegraph, 38 E. or at the Pontiac substation at 110 E Pike.
The Source: Information for this story was gathered from the Oakland County Sheriff's Office and Pontiac Mayor Greimel.
Donations began coming in for abandoned 3 children living inside Pontiac home
The three children were left in deplorable conditions by their mother - abandoned for years.