OAKLAND COUNTY, Mich. – The Oakland County mother accused of abandoning her three children, leaving them to live alone for years inside a filthy home, was given three additional charges.
Kelli Marie Bryant, 34, is facing three counts of first-degree child abuse after police said they found three of her children -- a 15-year-old boy, a 13-year-old girl, and a 12-year-old girl -- living alone in Pontiac. She is now facing a total of six charges.
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Click here to see all of our previous coverage of this case.
On March 11, Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald charged Bryant with three counts of Welfare Fraud.
Previous coverage: Bond dramatically reduced for Oakland County mom accused of abandoning kids for years in filthy home
McDonald said a review of Bryant’s support payments by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services alleges an overpayment, obtained by fraud, of $29,397 from January 2022 and February 2025.
“The defendant appears to have effectively abandoned her children while collecting their public assistance,” said Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald. “This crime is, first and foremost, a theft from Kelli Bryant’s children. These resources were intended to ensure they had the basic necessities denied to them. The children deserved better.”
Welfare Fraud over $500 is punishable by up to four years in prison or a $5,000 fine.
