A 34-year-old mother from Pontiac is in custody after authorities in Oakland County discovered three children living in a home that was in extremely poor condition.
The Oakland County Sheriff’s Office reported that a landlord for a house on the 600 block of Lydia Lane contacted deputies on Friday after not hearing from the mother since December. The landlord expressed concern that something might have happened since the rent had not been paid since October.
When deputies arrived, they found the home in terrible condition. According to the sheriff’s office, there was mold and human waste throughout the property, with garbage stacked as high as four feet in some areas and an overflowing toilet.
The deputies located three children in the residence: a 15-year-old boy, a 13-year-old girl, and a 12-year-old girl. The girls had locked themselves in the bathroom but opened the door when asked. The children were discovered wearing dirty clothes, with tangled hair and toenails that were several inches long. They were evaluated at the hospital on Friday and have since been placed under the care of a relative by Child Protective Services.
According to the Sheriff’s office, a boy reported that he and his two sisters had been left to care for themselves, having been abandoned by their mother in either 2020 or 2021. The children survived by eating food that either their mother or a stranger would leave on the front porch each week. Authorities noted that the mother did not provide toilet paper or hygiene products for them. While she maintained contact with the boy, she had not seen the girls for several years. The sheriff’s office stated that the boy slept on a mattress on the floor, while the girls used pizza boxes as bedding. The children have not attended school since being abandoned and spent their time watching television or playing games.
Residents reportedly informed deputies that they were unaware of the children living in the house and had never seen them outdoors, although they did notice the mother dropping off items each month. Emma Gross, a local resident and member of a Homeowner Association subcommittee, said her phone was inundated with messages from community members expressing shock and sorrow.
An evidence technician searched the residence while wearing a hazmat suit. Authorities stated that the mother was located at another location and taken into custody without incident. When questioned by deputies, she claimed that the children’s father was not involved in their lives.
In a statement, Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard remarked, “In my extensive career in this field, I have never encountered a situation as severe and prolonged as this, which involves abandonment, neglect, and abuse at the highest level.” He further stated, “This condition would be considered appalling and intolerable for an animal, and it is entirely unacceptable for three children.” Sheriff Bouchard mentioned that his office will forward the case to the Oakland County prosecutor.
