A Pontiac district court judge on Friday lowered bond of a mother accused of abandoning her kids to live in squalor for years from $250 million to a “reasonable” $50,000.
Kelli Bryant, who police said lived elsewhere in Pontiac while her children lived alone surrounded by trash and feces, was arrested Feb. 14 after her landlord called police to do a welfare check because he hadn’t heard from her and because she had not paid rent since October.
Pontiac District Judge Ronda Fowlkes Gross originally set Bryant’s bond at $250 million, noting concerns of flight and potentially trying to contact her kids.
But 50th District Court Judge Cynthia Thomas Walker, who took over the case after Bryant’s arraignment, reduced that bond to $50,000 on Friday and ordered that Bryant be confined to her home if she is able to post the bond.
Bryant is charged with three counts of first-degree child abuse. If convicted, she faces up to life in prison.
In her reasoning of lowering bond, Thomas Walker said criminal defendants are entitled to a reasonable bond. She was, however, not satisfied that there was a guarantee that Bryant would return to court. She also said she shared Fowlkes Gross’s concerns that Bryant may try to contact her children and impact their testimony.