Pontiac, Mich. — An Oakland County woman has been sentenced to up to 20 years in prison after authorities say she left her three children living in what investigators described as severely neglected and unsanitary conditions inside a Pontiac apartment.
Teriomas Tremice Johnson, 31, was sentenced this week after previously pleading no contest to three counts of second-degree child abuse.
The case stems from a 2025 investigation that began after police were called to the residence on South Francis Avenue.
According to authorities, the case began when one of the children, a 12-year-old girl, called police reporting a possible break-in. When officers arrived, they found no signs of forced entry—but instead discovered three children living alone inside the apartment.
What they encountered prompted a child welfare investigation and immediate removal of the children from the home.
Investigators described the apartment as unsafe and uninhabitable. Reports and court records state that the children were living in extreme neglect, including:
Rotting and spoiled food left throughout the apartment
Trash and clutter covering living areas
Human and animal waste inside the home
No functioning plumbing or running water
Authorities also reported that the children did not have access to a working bathroom and were forced to use a makeshift toilet, described in reports as a cardboard box.
Officials said the environment posed serious health risks and reflected prolonged neglect rather than a short-term incident.
Court documents indicate the children were left without consistent adult supervision for extended periods. The siblings—ages 12 and two 9-year-olds—had inconsistent school attendance and were often left to care for themselves.
Child Protective Services later removed the children and placed them with relatives, where they are now reportedly safe.
Johnson pleaded no contest to three counts of second-degree child abuse. Prosecutors argued that despite prior involvement with the justice system and available support services, the conditions inside the home did not improve.
During sentencing, the judge criticized the severity of the neglect and the danger it posed to the children.
Johnson was sentenced to 129 months to 20 years in the Michigan Department of Corrections and ordered to have no contact with the children.
The case has drawn attention in Oakland County due to the extreme conditions described by investigators and the fact that the situation was discovered only after the child herself contacted police.
Officials say the children are now in stable care and receiving support services.
Video Credit: clickondetroit.com
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