A Pontiac mother accused of leaving her three children to live alone in a home filled with trash and human waste for years was sentenced this week in a separate welfare fraud case, as prosecutors continue to pursue more serious child abuse charges tied to the same allegations.
PONTIAC, MI – Kelli Bryant, 35, was sentenced Wednesday to two years of probation and ordered to pay nearly $30,000 in restitution after pleading guilty last year to welfare fraud, according to the Detroit News. The benefits she received were intended to support her children, who investigators say were living in severe neglect conditions without consistent adult care.
A judge also ruled Bryant competent to be sentenced and to stand trial on three counts of first-degree child abuse. Her trial is scheduled for Aug. 10.
Conditions inside the Pontiac home
The case came to light after a welfare check on Lydia Lane in Pontiac, about 25 miles northwest of Detroit, was requested by Bryant’s landlord on Feb. 14, 2025, after months without rent or contact. Deputies with the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office discovered what Sheriff Mike Bouchard described as extreme neglect.
“What deputies found at the home was a case of ‘abandonment, neglect and abuse of the highest order,'” Bouchard said.
According to investigators, Bryant’s three children — a 15-year-old boy and two girls, ages 12 and 13 — had been living alone since 2020 or 2021. Authorities reported garbage piled as high as four feet, feces throughout the home including in the bathtub, an overflowing toilet, and widespread mold.
The children had not attended school for years and spent most of their time watching television or playing video games, deputies said. The boy reportedly slept on a mattress, while the girls slept on pizza boxes.
Each week, Bryant or another individual allegedly dropped off prepared food on the porch. Neighbors told investigators they saw food deliveries but were unaware children were living inside.
“They were wearing soiled clothing, their hair was matted, and their toenails were several inches long, making it difficult to walk,” the sheriff’s office said in a press release.
Sheriff Bouchard underscored the severity of the case, stating: “Throughout my extensive career in this field, I have never encountered a scenario as dire and prolonged as this one, involving abandonment, neglect, and abuse of the highest order. This situation would be deemed deplorable and intolerable for an animal, and it is utterly unacceptable for your three children.”
Statements and evidence detailed in court
During a preliminary hearing, Oakland County Sheriff’s Detective John Brish testified about Bryant’s statements and demeanor during questioning. He said she admitted responsibility for her actions.
“‘I hurt my children,'” Brish said Bryant told him. “‘I sacrificed my children, probably.'”
Brish also testified that Bryant appeared well-groomed during their interview and acknowledged prioritizing herself over her children. According to testimony, she asked investigators if there was “anything I could do to help myself.”
“She knew that her actions were selfish, that’s her wording and that it made her children sick and that she had ultimately sacrificed her children for her own purposes,” Brish testified.
Authorities also said data recovered from Bryant’s phone showed her children were saved as “My oldest,” “Kid 1” and “Kid 2,” while the children reportedly had her listed in affectionate terms.
An evidence technician processed the home in a hazmat suit due to the conditions. “I’d never smelled a home that smelled that bad without a decomposing body present,” Brish testified.
The children were taken to a hospital for evaluation and later placed in the custody of a relative through Child Protective Services. Investigators said Bryant told them the children’s father was not involved in their lives.
Bryant now faces the upcoming child abuse trial, which could carry significantly more severe penalties than the welfare fraud conviction.
Kelli Bryant Pontiac Michigan, Pontiac child abuse case, Oakland County welfare fraud sentence, Lydia Lane neglect investigation, Michigan child abandonment trial
