Pontiac mom accused of abandoning 3 children in apartment without running water, filthy conditions
A 31-year-old Michigan woman faces three felony counts of child abuse after authorities allege she left her three children unattended in an apartment without running water and littered with rotten food and human waste.
Teriomas Tremice Johnson, 31, of Pontiac, participated in a video arraignment hearing Wednesday at the 50th District Court on three counts of second-degree child abuse, the Oakland County Sheriff's office said.
Deputies began investigating when a 12-year-old girl reported a possible break-in at their apartment on South Francis Avenue in Pontiac.
While deputies determined the break-in report was unfounded, they "discovered the apartment was in deplorable condition," the sheriff's office said.
Officers located Johnson in Ann Arbor, and after about three hours, she was back home in Pontiac.
"She was taken into custody due to the condition of the home and the children," deputies added.
The children involved are a 12-year-old girl, along with her brother and sister, both age 9. Child Protective Services has since placed the children with other relatives, deputies said.
The condition of the home included inoperable plumbing and clogged sinks. While the children were enrolled in school, their attendance was sporadic, according to deputies.
Deputies say three cats were found in the apartment.
"It defies understanding how parents blessed with the gift of a child could show such cruelty," Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said. "The complete lack of compassion and humanity is heartbreaking, and I am eager to see justice served for this unconscionable act."
During her arraignment on Wednesday, Johnson was initially ordered held in the Oakland County Jail on a $250,000 cash bond. But after the video arraignment, deputies said, Johnson threw a chair and yelled an expletive at the magistrate. The presiding officer then ordered Johnson held without bond.
Court records show she is scheduled for a probable cause conference on Nov. 25.
"The first priority is the health and well-being of these children," said Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald. "As we move forward with the child abuse case, I want to encourage the public to give these children and their caregivers the privacy they need to heal from this traumatic experience."
Authorities said Johnson is currently on probation for earlier convictions in Rochester Hills 52-3 District Court for retail fraud, fleeing and eluding, and fourth-degree child abuse.
The School District of the City of Pontiac is releasing the following statement regarding Johnson's arrest:
"On the afternoon of November 12, 2025, the School District of the City of Pontiac was made aware by the Oakland County Sheriff's Office of a case involving alleged abuse and neglect of one of our families. This is an unfortunate and heartbreaking situation, and the district is working closely with the Oakland County Sheriff's Department to provide any needed support or assistance. Due to the sensitive nature of the case and the ongoing criminal investigation, the district is unable to share additional information at this time. Our thoughts and hearts are with the children and all those impacted by this tragic situation."
There is an unrelated but similar child abuse case pending out of Pontiac. Kelly Marie Bryant, 34, is awaiting trial in Oakland County Circuit Court on first-degree child abuse charges involving her three children, who were left home in filthy conditions with minimal adult contact.