Pontiac mom abandoned kids to ‘revolting pit of refuse and squalor’, prosecutor says

PONTIAC, Mich. (FOX 2) - Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald has authorized three charges of child abuse against the mom of three kids who abandoned her kids inside a Pontiac home for almost five years.

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. 

"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.

Kelli Bryant, 34, is charged with three counts of child abuse after authorities said she left abandoned her kids for years in squalor in her Pontiac home.

Bryant was identified on Wednesday for the first time by Oakland County officials, with McDonald saying that she lived in the home with four children in 2019 and moved out with one in 2020. She left behind the other children, who are now 15, 13, and 12.

"The suspect moved out of her home, leaving three of her children abandoned in that location, while one of her children went to live with their father," McDonald said.

What we know:

The sheriff was called last Friday by the owner of the home, who reported not receiving rent since October and not speaking with Bryant since December.

"Police were astonished to find anyone in the location because it appeared to be uninhabitable with piles of garbage and refuse several feet high, including large amounts of human excrement," McDonald said.

Inside, the kids hid in separate rooms and were afraid to come out initially. Once the did, the deputies on scene said they had trouble walking and were overstimulated just by being outdoors.

"At the hospital, the children struggled with completing basic hygiene tasks like flushing a toilet and brushing their teeth, because they had not done it in years," McDonald said.

Since their mother left, the 13 and 12-year-old girls never left the home once. The boy left twice, as Sheriff Michael Bouchard explained, to touch grass and check the mail.

Despite the trauma, the prosecutor said that the children appear to be doing okay. 

"Obviously, the trauma here is significant and my office, including our victim services section will make sure these children are supported during this process," McDonald said.

What we don't know:

Why didn't the children leave the home?

Their mother had been gone since 2020, so why did the children never leave? McDonald said they were too scared to do so.

"The defendant instructed the kids that they were not to answer the door or leave the house. All three children expressed fear about what their mother's response would be if they left the home," she said.

Kelly Bryant

During all this time, Bryant lied about who was caring for the kids and even about their location.

"Victims of severe abuse of all ages make decisions that don't seem reasonable to us. And what we know is that's very common," McDonald said. "There are a multitude of reasons why they didn't leave the home. We just don't know that yet."

McDonald appeared speechless at times while talking about what happened to the three children, and stopped short of saying it's the worst thing she's seen as a prosecutor.

"We say a lot (that) this is the worst I've ever seen. And I stop saying that because, every time I say that, I see something worse," she said. "It was unbelievable what they were living with for years. Unbelievable. It wouldn't be, surroundings where you would want any living creature or animal or particularly human beings. I mean, these kids, not to have even basic hygiene tools. And I guess what stands out the most for me is no, no, love. There was nobody there to care for them for between 3 and 4 years. No parent, nobody physically present to let them know that they were safe and they were loved."

 During the four years that the children lived alone, McDonald said they all had cell phones but didn't have any physical interaction at all.

"According to the evidence that's been placed on the record, there was no physical contact whatsoever. And, I, I don't think it's accurate to say that they had food dropped off weekly," she said.

What's next:

Bryant has been in custody since last week and will be arraigned on the three charges on Thursday.

The children are with a relative who McDonald said didn't know what they were going through. MDHHS is overseeing their care at this time.