Detroit Family Receives New Home After Tragic Deaths of Two Children in Freezing Van

The deaths of two young siblings in a van have prompted Detroit officials to overhaul homelessness outreach and response efforts.

Tateona Williams and her family were gifted a home by the City of Detroit and Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries following the deaths of her two children due to freezing temperatures in a van.
The children, 9-year-old Darnell Currie Jr. and 2-year-old Amillah Currie, died on February 10 after their van ran out of gas in sub-freezing temperatures while parked in a casino garage.
Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan acknowledged failures in the city's homeless outreach system, including a lack of follow-up after the family sought help multiple times, and announced new measures to prevent similar tragedies.
The city's new initiatives include requiring site visits for families with minor children, increased efforts to locate homeless families in vehicles, and a 24-hour emergency housing hotline.
The Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries provided the family with a fully furnished home and committed to ongoing support to help Williams transition to long-term housing stability.