An Oakland County judge significantly lowered the bond for a Pontiac mother accused of child abuse and abandoning her three children for years. 

On Friday, 50th District Court Judge Cynthia Thomas Walker reduced 34-year-old Kelli Bryant's bond to $50,000 cash. Bryant is charged with three counts of first-degree child abuse. Judge Ronda Fowlkes Gross initially set Bryant's bond at $250 million.

If Bryant posts bond, she cannot have contact with her children, or anyone under the age of 18. She can not have contact with those caring for her children and cannot return to the address of the alleged incident. Judge Walker also imposed a home confinement electronic monitoring device. 

"From the beginning, the Prosecution's position has been that circumstances in this case warranted a high cash bond, with conditions to protect the children, and to ensure Kelli Bryant didn't flee the jurisdiction," the Oakland County Prosecutor's Office said in a statement. "Judge Walker's ruling today resetting Bryant's bond to $50,000 is consistent with our initial request for a high cash bond."

Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald charged Bryant in connection with a child neglect case where three children were found living in a Pontiac home in "deplorable shape" and allegedly abandoned by their mother nearly five years ago. McDonald is seeking to have the mother's parental rights terminated. 

Three children were found in the home: a 15-year-old boy, a 13-year-old girl and a 12-year-old girl. 

Oakland County deputies received a call on Feb. 14 from a landlord at a residence on the 600 block of Lydia Lane in Pontiac after not hearing from the mother since December 2024. The landlord said rent had not been paid since October, and he was concerned something might have happened.

When deputies arrived at the home, they found it in vile shape. They found mold and human waste throughout, garbage piled as high as four feet, and an overflowing toilet. The children were reportedly covered in feces, and the two girls had trouble walking out of the house. 

Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said investigators believe the children were abandoned between 2020 and 2021. According to McDonald, Bryant was living with her four children at the home in 2019 and left with one of her children, who is now living with their father. Officials say Bryant has four children with two different fathers. 

Authorities say Bryant did not leave basic hygiene products like toilet paper, soap or shampoo with her children.

The children were taken to a hospital for evaluation and are currently in the custody of a relative under the direction of the state.  

Pontiac city leaders have said the home was not properly registered as a rental property. Pontiac City Council President Mike McGuinness says the unit was being unlawfully rented out and as a result, wasn't subject to inspections.

Bryant's next court appearance is April 15.