A surge of community support is aiding three children discovered living in filth and neglect in a Pontiac home after being abandoned for years. Authorities say the siblings—ages 15, 13, and 12—were left to fend for themselves in a house filled with trash and human waste.
According to CNN, Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard described the conditions as unlivable, with garbage stacked several feet high and a broken toilet. Police, responding to concerns from the landlord over unpaid rent, entered the home wearing hazmat suits due to the overwhelming filth. Bouchard revealed that the children’s mother occasionally left food outside but had little other interaction with them.
The eldest child said he had only stepped outside twice in years, once just to experience the feeling of grass. Officials estimate the children had been alone for more than four years. Their mother is in custody as prosecutors determine possible charges.