OAKLAND COUNTY, Mich. – A hearing for the Oakland County mom who is accused of abandoning her three children for years happened Thursday afternoon.
Kelli Bryant, 34, of Pontiac, has been charged with three counts of first-degree child abuse after authorities found her three children — a 15-year-old boy, a 13-year-old girl, and a 12-year-old girl — living alone. She also faces welfare fraud charges.
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Update from hearing --> Oakland County mom accused of abandoning kids back in court for hearing after being released on bond
The last time Bryant was in court was on Friday, May 16, 2025, for her preliminary examination.
During that hearing, a judge ruled that there was enough evidence to bind Bryant over to circuit court to stand trial on the child abuse and welfare fraud charges.
A pretrial conference for both of Bryant’s cases will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 10.
This comes after Bryant was released from jail on bond on Thursday, June 5.
Click here to see all of our previous coverage of this case.
Here are the details we learned about the case the last time Bryant was in court:
Foul smell at Oakland County home where kids were found made deputy think he was searching for body
During Bryant’s preliminary examination, several witnesses testified, including a deputy who found the children after being called to the Pontiac home for a welfare check in February 2025.
He talked about the horrific conditions of the home and said he thought they’d be checking the home for a dead body due to the foul odor inside.
Bryant had children in her phone as ‘My Oldest Child’ and ‘Kid 2′
An Oakland County investigator testified about extracting data from phones in connection with Bryant’s case.
In Bryant’s phone, she had the oldest child saved as “My Oldest,” and the younger two children were saved in her phone as “Kid 1″ and “Kid 2.”
He also shared several text messages that had been sent between Bryant and her oldest child.
Detective recalls interview with Bryant after kids were found, pediatrician discusses clinic visit
A detective talked about calling Bryant in for an interview after the kids were found.
He said he got in contact with Bryant that day and that she took a Lyft to get to the Pontiac substation.
The detective said Bryant arrived wearing clean clothes and long fake nails, and that her hair was done, which surprised him considering the conditions the children were found in.
Bryant admitted that “her actions were selfish,” and she said she sacrificed her children for herself. The detective said he was surprised by how confident her admission was.
A pediatrician also testified about when the kids were brought into an outpatient clinic for a basic examination.
She said the oldest child has brown spots inside his mouth, possibly lesions, and the middle child had a hard time standing, and her skin was darkened.
The doctor said all three had difficulty seeing, and they were squinting. A screening chart was used, and she determined they had near-sightedness. She also expressed concerns for the youngest child, claiming she may be developmentally delayed and immature for her age.
Click here to read more on the testimony from these witnesses.