A Detroit mother whose two children died from possible exposure to the cold this month while the family was living in a van has been given a new home days after her son and daughter were laid to rest.
A video posted by the city of Detroit and the Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries this week showed Tateona Williams receiving the keys to her home.
“We had to fix it, prep it, furnish it, and then give them a good start so they don’t have to go one day with no food or being outside anymore,” the organization’s CEO and president, Chad Audi, said in a video that showed community members stocking the kitchen with food.
Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries, which helps find permanent solutions for disadvantaged residents, said the home was freshly painted, and Williams received new furniture and appliances in the home that she can now occupy with her two surviving children.
“We didn’t just offer her a house — we provided her with hope. We took her to her new home, where she and her children could finally breathe, sleep, and heal without fear,” Audi said in a statement.
The organization said it would conduct regular check-ins and inspections to assist Williams and will sit down with her before the year ends to “create a long-term housing plan.” The home is “strictly for the mother and her children,” and Williams has to transfer the utilities in her name within three months.
“DRMM will step in to help if she struggles — but we expect responsibility and accountability to build toward her independence,” the organization said.
Amillah Currie, 2, and Darnell Currie, 9, died Feb. 10 after the van the family was living in apparently ran out of gas. Williams found the children unresponsive and not breathing and called either a friend or a relative for help, police said.
The temperature in Detroit that morning was around 12 degrees F, with wind chills of 6 degrees, according to the National Weather Service.
Hours before the deaths, Williams had parked the car on the ninth floor of Hollywood Casino’s parking garage. Two adults and five children, ranging in age from 2 to 13, were in the van, Detroit Police Chief Todd Bettison had said.
He said he believed the family was seeking shelter in the garage for safety and because they could use the casino’s bathroom. The chief also said the family had moved around from various casino parking lots.
The deaths quickly raised questions about flawed systems for helping people experiencing homelessness. Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan called for a review into the family’s request for assistance after he said that Williams had reached out to a homeless response team on Nov. 25 and said she needed a place to stay.
The mayor said at a press conference this month that a resolution was not reached during that conversation and an outreach worker did not visit the family.
The family had also reached out in the summer and the previous year, he said.
The City of Detroit said in a Facebook post Wednesday that its heart continues to be with the family “as we stand by them, offering our love and compassion.”
“While nothing can truly ease their loss, the gift of a new home represents a pivotal step forward for both their family and community,” the city said. “Detroit, let us unite in support.”
