OAKLAND COUNTY, Mich. (TCN) — A mother who pleaded guilty last year to welfare fraud and was sentenced to two years of probation has been found competent to stand trial for child abuse in connection with the alleged abandonment of her children, prosecutors say.
The Detroit News reports that in February 2025, 35-year-old Kelli Bryant’s three children, who were 12, 13, and 15 years old at the time, were found living alone in a home full of trash and feces. Her landlord had called the police to request a welfare check on her because she had not paid the rent since October 2024.
The children reportedly had matted hair and had difficulty walking because their toenails were so long. The Detroit News reports the children told police their mother had not lived there in years; one child said he only saw his mother when she dropped items off at the home. The children reportedly did not know how to flush a toilet or use hygiene items.
The house was reportedly so filthy that technicians processing the scene had to wear hazmat suits. Law & Crime reports that garbage in the home was stacked 4 feet high, the bathtub was overflowing with feces, and the children had not been to school since 2020 or 2021, since Bryant allegedly abandoned them. The girls reportedly slept on pizza boxes.
According to Law & Crime, the neighbors reportedly did not know any children lived in the home. Bryant allegedly only had contact with her oldest son, and would drop off food, but she allegedly had not seen her daughters in several years.
The Detroit News reported in May 2025 that Bryant allegedly told a deputy she “sacrificed my children.” WNEM reports she was charged with child abuse in February 2025.
According to Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard, “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 three children. They have been deprived of any interaction with their mother and have not received an education for years. The far-reaching consequences of this abuse must be acknowledged. We look forward to presenting this case to the prosecutor and ensuring that this mother faces the consequences of her actions.”
The Detroit News reports Bryant pleaded no contest to welfare fraud charges in December 2025. She had reportedly continued to collect public benefits for the three children after allegedly abandoning them.
On June 17, Bryant was ruled competent to stand trial for the child abuse charges. She faces life in prison if convicted, according to The Detroit News. Her trial is scheduled to begin on Aug. 25.
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