A Michigan mother was arrested and charged with child abuse after authorities uncovered “deplorable” living conditions in her house.
Teriomas Johnson, 31, is facing three counts of child abuse after being arrested on Wednesday, only days after an inquiry into the condition of her Pontiac home. According to an Oakland County Sheriff’s Office press release, Johnson’s 12-year-old daughter contacted 911 on November 7 to report a suspected break-in at their home. When the police arrived, they discovered the 12-year-old and her 9-year-old siblings, a boy and a girl, three cats, and no sign of their mother.
In addition to the children allegedly being home alone, authorities found the home to be “deplorable.”
The sheriff’s office reported that the flat was “littered with rotten food and human and animal feces.” According to authorities, the home appeared to have no working plumbing, as “the sinks were clogged” and the youngsters were reportedly using a “cardboard box” as a toilet.
Police claimed they found Johnson in Ann Arbor, which is around 54 miles from Pontiac. According to the news release, Johnson returned to her home three hours after being found. Her children informed authorities that they had not seen their mother since the day before.
Further inquiry led authorities to suspect that Johnson “frequently” left her children at home without adult supervision. Police also stated that the youngsters were all registered in school, although their attendance was “sporadic.”
In the news release, Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard stated, “The complete lack of compassion and humanity is heartbreaking, and I am eager to see justice served for this unconscionable act.”
Johnson was brought into custody and arraigned via Zoom. According to the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office, Johnson’s bond was originally set at $250,000, but after she “threw a chair and yelled an expletive at the magistrate,” she was ordered held without bond. Her next court date is set for November 25.
