PONTIAC, Mich. (WXYZ) — A Pontiac couple is facing multiple felonies for allegedly starving two boys, ages 9 and 11, who were under their care.
Auturo Bazan-Perez, 43, and his wife, Dulce Crystal Bazan Castillo, 42, have been charged with multiple counts of first-degree child abuse and torture. They could both face life in prison.
Watch Brett Kast's video report below:
According to the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were called by hospital workers on Nov. 17 about a 9-year-old boy who weighed 33 pounds and had bruises on his body. Officials say the parents took the boy to the hospital and said he was suffering from a medical condition. The boy did not have a pulse when deputies arrived and had to be airlifted to another hospital for care, officials say.
During an investigation, deputies also discovered a “severely malnourished” 11-year-old living in the home. He was taken to the hospital and both boys, officials say, are stable.
The sheriff’s office said the boys were unenrolled from school in September, with the father claiming they were moving back to Mexico. Before that, Pontiac schools said the kids had good attendance in 2024.
Watch Ross Jones' video report on prior warnings in the case below:
Officials say the boys were not allowed to leave their bedroom, the windows were screwed shut and the glass was painted, so the boys could not see the outside.
During the arraignment, Detective Allie Michales testified that one of the children disclosed that he was terrified of his stepmother, Castillo, and that he had sustained injuries from her, including her stepping on his neck, leg and feet.
The detective also said there are multiple reports that one of the children was found digging in the trash for food at school and hoarding food.
Detectives said that both children arrived at school with their pockets sewn shut after food was sent home with them, and their backpacks were taken away after they were found concealing food in the linings.
“The child abuse cases we are seeing right now are nothing short of heartbreaking and enraging,” Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said in a statement. “In this case especially, the suffering these children endured might have been stopped sooner had the legislation I called on the Legislature to pass been enacted — a simple, common-sense safeguard that would prevent a child from being unenrolled from school without verified confirmation of their safety and status elsewhere. No child should ever fall through the cracks like this. We will not rest until those responsible are held fully and unequivocally accountable.”
According to the sheriff’s office, a 1-year-old boy and a 4-year-old girl, Castillo's biological children, were also living in the home, but appeared to be healthy. They were also removed from the home by Children's Protective Services.
Officials say child abuse and torture charges were also filed against the 24-year-old son of Bazan-Perez, who was also living in the home. Officials described him as a “disciplinarian.”
According to sources, there were seven separate referrals made to CPS dating back to 2022, and at least one of them involved malnourishment, but all seven cases were closed by CPS without being substantiated.
Prosecutors also revealed there could be another case involving the couple that was not reported to or investigated by law enforcement. Authorities say they learned a 13-year-old girl died of similar circumstances while in their care and custody.
“It’s unconscionable that anyone, let alone parents, would willfully starve children,” said Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald. “The allegations in this case are horrifying. My thoughts right now are with these children and the caregivers working to help them recover from what appears to be a nightmare situation.”
A probable cause conference for the couple has been set for Dec. 4, and a preliminary examination is scheduled for Dec. 11 in 50th District Court.
The School District of the City of Pontiac and Superintendent, Dr. Kimberly Leverette, issued the following statement about the case:
"The School District of the City of Pontiac is heartbroken by the allegations in this case. We can confirm that two children in this family were previously enrolled in the district. The current school year began on September 2, 2025, and the children were unenrolled on September 4, 2025, after a parent informed the school that the family was moving. The last time district staff saw them in person was at the end of the 2024–25 school year, during which they had excellent attendance.
District staff followed required procedures, and we take our responsibilities for safety, attendance, and reporting very seriously and are fully cooperating with law enforcement and Children’s Protective Services."
“Why would you do this to any living creature, let alone your children?” Bouchard said.
Bouchard noted this case marks the third time in nine months that his deputies found children in horrid conditions. The first was in February, where three children were found abandoned in a home filled with trash and feces.
Then in another case earlier this month, three more children were found living without plumbing, in an apartment also littered with feces.
“I think the the fact that you've heard about the three cases in Pontiac this year is an anomaly that you've heard about them, but it's not an anomaly that it's happening,” said Blythe Tyler, president and CEO of CARE House of Oakland County, a child advocacy organization that specializes in speaking with victims of child abuse.
CARE House has cared for some of these children.
Last year, more than 900 children came through their doors, a number they sadly expect to hit again this year.
‘I think there are more children out there. We know 64% of children will never disclose they were abused, which is a staggering number,” Tyler said.
Watch our previous reports on the child abuse cases from earlier this year below:
Tyler says 1 in 5 children are victims of abuse or neglect and in some cases, they're often coached on what to say when confronted.
“We see children from every single community in Oakland County. We see them from Farmington Hills, we see them from Oak Park, we see them from Birmingham. It doesnt matter,” Tyler said.
