Pontiac, Mich. — A 34-year-old woman was arrested Friday after authorities discovered that she had abandoned her three children, leaving them to live in horrific conditions for years. The Oakland County Sheriff’s Office responded to a welfare check at a residence in the 600 block of Lydia Lane in Pontiac after the landlord expressed concerns about the mother’s well-being.
The landlord had not heard from the mother since December, and rent payments had ceased in October, prompting the request for a welfare check. Deputies arrived to find the home in a state of extreme disrepair, with garbage piled as high as four feet in some rooms. Mold and human waste were present throughout the residence, with an overflowing toilet and feces found in the bathtub, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Upon entering the home, deputies discovered three children— a 15-year-old boy and two girls, ages 13 and 12. The boy informed officers that his mother had abandoned him and his sisters sometime between 2020 and 2021, leaving them to fend for themselves. The children reportedly survived by eating food left for them by either their mother or an unknown person, and the mother had not provided any hygiene products.
The children had not attended school since their abandonment, and it appeared that the girls had not been outside the home in several years. Neighbors stated they had never seen the children and were unaware they were living in the house. Deputies also noted that the children appeared to be unfamiliar with basic hygiene practices, and they were in poor physical condition, wearing soiled clothing with matted hair and long toenails.
The children were immediately transported to the hospital for evaluation, and Child Protective Services placed them in the custody of a relative.
Sheriff Michael Bouchard expressed his disbelief at the extent of the neglect, calling it one of the most severe cases of abandonment and abuse he had ever encountered in his career.
“This is a tragic case where the children were not only abandoned but left in conditions that no child should ever have to endure,” said Bouchard. “It’s heartbreaking to see such neglect, and we are thankful that they are now in a safe environment.”
The mother, whose name has not been released due to privacy concerns, was located at another location and arrested without incident. She is currently being held at the Oakland County Jail. Authorities are continuing their investigation into the circumstances surrounding the abandonment.
The case serves as a stark reminder of the importance of vigilant community involvement in the welfare of vulnerable individuals, especially children, and the need to act when something appears to be amiss.
