A Michigan mother has been arrested and charged with child abuse after police discovered unsanitary and unsafe conditions in her Pontiac home.
Teriomas Johnson, 31, faces three counts of child abuse following her arrest Wednesday, several days after authorities began investigating the state of her residence. According to the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office, Johnson’s 12-year-old daughter called 911 on Nov. 7 to report a possible break-in. When police arrived, they found the 12-year-old and her 9-year-old siblings—one boy and one girl—alone with three cats. Their mother was not home.
Authorities described the apartment as “deplorable,” reporting it was littered with rotting food as well as human and animal waste. Police noted the sinks were clogged and said the children appeared to be using a cardboard box as a toilet due to a lack of working plumbing.
Johnson was later located in Ann Arbor, approximately 54 miles from Pontiac. She returned to the home about three hours after police found her. The children told authorities they had not seen their mother since the previous day. Police believe Johnson frequently left her children unsupervised. While all three children were enrolled in school, authorities noted that their attendance was inconsistent.
Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard called the situation “heartbreaking” and said he was committed to seeing justice served.
Johnson was taken into custody and appeared for arraignment via Zoom. Her bond had initially been set at $250,000, but after reportedly throwing a chair and yelling an expletive at the magistrate, she was ordered to be held without bond. Her next court date is scheduled for Nov. 25.