Michigan woman pleads no contest to abuse after 3 kids are found living alone for years
PONTIAC, Mich. (AP) — A Michigan woman accused of leaving three children alone for years in a house of squalor pleaded no contest Thursday to child abuse in an agreement that carries a six-year prison sentence, authorities said.
Conditions at the Pontiac home were so offensive that police evidence specialists wore hazmat suits when the children were discovered in February 2025.
The kids, ages 15, 13 and 12, had lived on their own since 2020 or 2021, with occasional food drops on the porch and amid trash and feces, police said. Sheriff's deputies entered when a landlord said he hadn't been paid in months.
Kelli Bryant, 35, who was living elsewhere in Pontiac, pleaded no contest to abuse and will return to court in September for her sentencing. A message seeking comment from her attorney was not immediately returned.
"This plea will spare the children from testifying at trial and ensures Bryant remains incarcerated until they are all adults," Oakland County prosecutor Karen McDonald said. "I'm hopeful the children she victimized will continue to have the space and resources to heal from this abhorrent trauma."
The father lost contact with the kids while in prison in an unrelated matter and was barred by their mother from seeing them when he was released, Sheriff Mike Bouchard said when Bryant was arrested.
Latest SBM podcast looks at why pro bono matters
Hiring an attorney can be expensive, and that can make legal representation out of reach for those who are living paycheck to paycheck.
In the July episode of MiLawyer Podcast, Lakeshore Legal Aid CEO Ashley Lowe discusses how important pro bono work in the legal field is and how attorneys who offer pro bono services can make all the difference to someone who is seeking justice.
Lakeshore Legal Aid is a not-for-profit law firm that provides free civil legal services to low-income individuals and seniors in Macomb, Oakland, St. Clair, and Wayne counties.
Low discusses how she and others deal with the stress that comes along with handling difficult pro bono cases.
The State Bar of Michigan produces MiLawyer Podcast as a tool to help Michigan attorneys improve their practice and protect their well-being. Hosted by Molly Ranns, the director of SBM’s Lawyer & Judges Assistance Program, and Savanna Polimeni, SBM’s practice management counsel, the MiLawyer Podcast is available on multiple podcast platforms. Current and past episodes can be found at michbar.org/Podcast.
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