OAKLAND COUNTY, Mich. \u2013 The case against the Oakland County mom accused of abandoning her three children for years is now expected to be delayed by about three months. <\/p>\n
Kelli Bryant, of Pontiac, who is facing first-degree child abuse and welfare fraud charges, has requested a competency evaluation, according to a Feb. 24, 2026, news release from the Oakland County Prosecutor\u2019s Office. <\/p>\n
The prosecutor said this now creates a three-month delay in the case, which was previously scheduled to go to trial on March 2. <\/p>\n
\u201cDuring the 12 months this matter has been pending, the issue of Kelli Bryant\u2019s competence has never previously been raised,\u201d Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald said. \u201cAs Judge Brennan noted today, this last-minute request creates a three-month delay. That means three more months of anxiety and uncertainty for the minor victims. The well-being of the children remains our primary concern. We are hopeful that a competency review will be completed quickly so that this case can move forward, and that Kelli Bryant will finally accept accountability for her actions.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bryant was charged in February 2025 after authorities discovered her three children were living alone in squalor. <\/p>\n
Officials said garbage was piled as high as four feet in some rooms and that mold and feces were found throughout the home.<\/p>\n
Investigators said the children survived on food deliveries Bryant arranged through services such as DoorDash and Instacart. However, officials allege she did not provide basic necessities, including toilet paper, soap or shampoo, during their abandonment.<\/p>\n