DETROIT (Gray News) – City officials in Detroit say they are working to find stable housing for a family who lost two children to hypothermia this week.
Tateona Williams has been living in a van with her four children for the last three months.
This week, she woke up to find two of her children, ages 9 and 2, unresponsive. They were later pronounced dead at the hospital from what appeared to be hypothermia.
The family’s van ran out of gas overnight in below-freezing temperatures.
The tragedy sparked national attention, with Williams telling WXYZ she tried her best to find somewhere to live and previously called a homeless service for help.
In a news release Thursday, Detroit’s Deputy Mayor Melia Howard said the city has been working closely with the family since learning about the children’s deaths.
She also identified the children by name – Darnell and Amilah Currie.
Darnell was 9 years old, and Amilah was just 2.
“She didn’t even get to live her life, she didn’t even get to do nothing,” Williams said of losing her 2-year-old daughter. “She lost her life because I had to sleep in a car.”
Howard said Detroit’s Department of Housing & Revitalization is “working diligently” to secure stable housing for the family.
“We are hopeful that we will have them settled into a safe and comfortable home by this weekend,” Howard said in Thursday’s statement.
Thanks to the kindness and generosity of the community, Howard said, a local funeral home is providing services for the children free of charge.
Howard said while people have many questions, an administrative review and investigation is still ongoing.
“We remain committed to transparency and will share updates as soon as the investigations are complete and we have a full understanding of the facts,” Howard said in the statement.
In a press conference Tuesday, Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan confirmed Williams did call the city’s homeless response team back in November, but nothing came of it.
Duggan is now calling for a review of the city’s homeless services.
Williams, however, said she was heartbroken to know that it took her children dying to get the attention she needed.
“It took my two kids to die for y’all to help me? It just don’t work like that,” she told WXYZ. “It hurt losing two kids in one night. You know, I don’t wish this on nobody, and if you can get help, please go get help, because I don’t want nobody else to go through what I’m feeling.”
Howard finished her statement by saying the city is doing everything it can to help the family.
“Our hearts remain with the Williams/Currie family as they navigate this unimaginable loss,” she said. “We continue to hold them close in our thoughts and stand with them every step of the way.”
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