In the wake of a harrowing incident in Pontiac, Michigan where three children were found living in squalor after being abandoned by their mother. Local lawmakers are moving to reform the state's school code. The Oakland County Sheriff's office revealed proposed legislation to prevent children from slipping unnoticed through school systems when transitioning between schools. According to a press release reported by Audacy, the legislation will refine procedures for enrolling and unenrolling students, with specific attention to verifying a student's status before removal from school rolls.
Representatives Tom Kuhn (R-Troy) and Brenda Carter (D-Pontiac), along with Senator Jeremy Moss (D-Southfield), are expected to bring this bill before the Michigan state legislature. Tragic details provided by FOX 2 Detroit outlined that children aged 12, 13, and 15 were left unattended for years leading up to their discovery on February 14.
Under current state education regulations, a school may remove a student from its enrollment upon the presumption of a transfer following a transcript request. However, such a transfer never occurred in this particular case, leaving these young lives in literal and bureaucratic neglect. Authorities intend to address this oversight. Sheriff Bouchard stated that the gap they fell through wasn't simply a crack but a deep cavern from which they did not emerge for years.
The mother, Kelli Bryant, currently faces first-degree child abuse charges and a $250 million bond. She is back in court on March 4 for a motion hearing, while her children have been placed in the care of family members.
