Monster mother: Three little Michigan kids living alone for years in horrifying conditions

A Michigan mother, 34, has been arrested after her three children were found living in horrifying conditions for up to five years. The children—aged 15, 13, and 12—were discovered in a home covered in feces and trash, in a case of neglect that shocked everyone.

Horrifying conditions uncovered

The children were found by authorities in the 600 block of Lydia Lane after a welfare check was requested by the condo’s landlord. The landlord had not heard from the mother since December, and rent had not been paid since October. Deputies were called to investigate the situation, and what they discovered was disturbing.

Inside the home, trash was stacked as high as four feet in some rooms. Mold was growing everywhere, and human waste was scattered around the place. The bathroom was unbearable—overflowing toilets and feces in the bathtub made the home uninhabitable. Sheriff Michael Bouchard described the conditions as “unconscionable” and something that would be “deplorable and intolerable for an animal.”

A desperate situation

When deputies arrived, the 15-year-old boy explained that he and his younger sisters had been abandoned in 2021. They had survived on food that was either dropped off by their mother or a stranger. The children had no hygiene supplies and were not even familiar with basic bathroom functions.

The children had not attended school since being left behind. They spent their days watching TV and playing games in the squalid conditions. It seemed the girls had not left the house for years. The boy slept on a mattress on the floor, while the girls used pizza boxes as makeshift beds.

Neighbors left shocked and devastated

Neighbors were horrified when they learned the children had been living in the home. Many said they had never seen the kids outside, though they did notice the mother occasionally dropping off items at the house. One neighbor, Emma Gross, told local news: “Everybody’s upset about this… How could something like this happen in our neighborhood?”

After the children were evaluated at the hospital, Child Protective Services placed them with a relative. The children were found wearing soiled clothes, their hair matted, and their toenails so long they could barely walk.

The mother’s arrest and investigation

After the shocking discovery, the mother was arrested. She claimed that the children’s father was not involved in their lives. Officials pointed out that this case wasn’t just physical neglect; the emotional and psychological toll on the children was enormous. Pontiac Mayor Tim Greimel called the situation “horrific” and stressed the lasting damage caused by such abuse.

The local community responded with overwhelming support. Donations of clothing, shoes, toiletries, and hygiene products flooded in for the children. One local donor, Linda Kisse, expressed her heartbreak over the situation, saying: “It’s just terrible. I can’t imagine how someone could do this.”

Her daughter, Jackie Kisse, also donated items, including soap, shampoo, conditioner, and feminine products, as well as lotion for the children. The community’s generosity has helped the kids begin their long road to recovery.

This tragic story is a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of child abuse and neglect. The children are now safe, but their journey toward healing will be long. Their mother’s actions are being investigated, and she faces serious charges for abandoning and neglecting her children in the most horrific way imaginable.