Pontiac home in Michigan. Photo: WXYZ
In a heartbreaking case out of Pontiac, Michigan, police discovered three children living alone in unimaginable conditions—and it may have been that way for years.
Authorities found the siblings—a 15-year-old boy and his two sisters, aged 12 and 13—inside a home on Lydia Lane during a welfare check on Friday, February 14. The children were dirty, their hair was matted, and their toenails had grown so long they could barely walk. Shockingly, police believe the girls hadn’t been outside in years.
Inside the home, officers found piles of garbage, human waste, and mold everywhere. The toilet was overflowing, feces were found in the bathtub, and the girls were sleeping on pizza boxes. Their brother had a mattress on the floor, but otherwise, the house was nearly unlivable.
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A Life of Isolation and Survival
The 34-year-old mother, who was arrested the same day, allegedly abandoned her children as early as 2020 or 2021. The kids hadn’t attended school since then, and their only means of survival was food left on the front porch by their mother or a stranger.
The boy was the only one in contact with their mother, but it appears she had not physically seen her daughters in years. Worse, she didn’t leave behind toilet paper, personal hygiene products, or basic necessities for them.
How Authorities Got Involved
The situation came to light when the landlord called police, saying he hadn’t seen the mother since December and that she had stopped paying rent in October 2024.
When police arrived, they were horrified. Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard described the case as one of the worst cases of child neglect and abandonment he had ever seen, saying:
“This situation would be deemed deplorable for an animal, let alone three children.”
What’s Next for the Kids?
The siblings were taken to a hospital for evaluation and are now in the care of a relative through Child Protective Services. Meanwhile, their mother is being held at Oakland County Jail.
Neighbors are in shock. Emma Gross, who lives nearby, told reporters:
“This is right in our neighborhood—how could something like this happen?”
Authorities are now collecting donations for the children to help them recover from years of extreme neglect.
This tragic case has left many wondering: How did these kids go unnoticed for so long?
