A Michigan woman accused of abandoning her three children for years while living apart from them has pleaded no contest to multiple child abuse charges stemming from the discovery of the children living alone in an apartment filled with garbage, human waste, and mold.
Kelli Bryant, 35, entered no contest pleas to three counts of first-degree child abuse, according to the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office.
Welfare Check Uncovered Children Living Alone
The investigation began on Feb. 14, 2025, when authorities conducted a welfare check at Bryant’s apartment in Pontiac, Michigan.
Inside, officers found Bryant’s three children—then 15, 13, and 12 years old—living without adult supervision.
According to investigators, the children told police they had been living on their own since 2020 or 2021, after their mother allegedly left them behind.
Prosecutors Describe Severe Neglect
Prosecutors said Bryant abandoned the children in what they described as a squalid apartment that lacked running water and working toilets.
Authorities said the children stopped attending school after Bryant left and rarely left the apartment.
According to investigators, Bryant occasionally communicated with her oldest son but reportedly had no contact with her two younger daughters.
Court records also indicated that Bryant had saved her children’s names in her cellphone as “My oldest,” “Kid 1,” and “Kid 2.”
Apartment Filled With Trash and Human Waste
Police described the apartment as being in extremely poor condition.
Investigators reported finding:
- Garbage piled as high as four feet.
- Human feces throughout the residence.
- A bathtub filled with waste.
- An overflowing toilet.
- Mold growing throughout the apartment.
Authorities said the oldest child slept on a mattress placed on the floor, while his two younger sisters reportedly slept on pizza boxes.
Children Reportedly Lacked Basic Life Skills
According to police, the children spent much of their time watching television and playing video games.
Investigators said Bryant and another individual occasionally delivered food to the apartment.
Authorities also reported that the children struggled with basic hygiene and self-care. Their toenails had reportedly grown so long that they had difficulty walking.
Detective Testified About Conditions
During earlier court proceedings, Oakland County Sheriff’s Detective John Brish described the apartment as one of the worst environments he had encountered.
He testified that he had never smelled a home with such a strong odor unless a decomposing body was present.
Brish also told the court that Bryant appeared well-groomed during her interview with investigators.
According to the detective, Bryant admitted, “I hurt my children. I sacrificed my children, probably.”
Earlier Welfare Fraud Conviction
Before entering her plea in the child abuse case, Bryant had already been sentenced in June after pleading no contest to welfare fraud.
Prosecutors said she continued receiving public assistance benefits intended for the children while they were allegedly living alone.
Authorities also confirmed that Bryant’s parental rights were terminated in April, and the children have since been placed with relatives.
Sentencing Scheduled for September
Bryant is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 1 following her no-contest pleas to the child abuse charges.
A no-contest plea allows the court to enter a conviction without the defendant admitting guilt and avoids contesting the prosecution’s allegations.
The case remains in the sentencing phase, and Bryant is awaiting the court’s final decision regarding her punishment.
