What began as repeated calls for help ended in an unthinkable outcome on Monday, February 10, 2025, when two children died of suspected hypothermia in a Detroit, Michigan casino parking garage, exposing critical gaps in the city’s homeless response system.
Tateona Williams, a certified nursing and medical assistant, discovered her nine-year-old son, Darnell Currie Jr., unresponsive around noon in their van at the Hollywood Casino Hotel parking garage. As a family friend rushed to help her transport the boy to a hospital, the children’s grandmother found that Williams’ two-year-old daughter, Amillah Currie, had also stopped breathing, according to Detroit interim Police Chief Todd Bettison.
“Just on the surface right now, it appears it was exposure to hyperthermia,” Bettison said during a press conference.
The path to this tragic moment began months earlier. Despite Williams’ employment in healthcare, her family faced mounting housing instability. Records show she first contacted Detroit’s housing services in the summer of 2024 when early warning signs of their housing crisis emerged. A second call followed later that year, documenting the family’s increasingly desperate situation.
By November 2024, Williams, 29, made her third and most urgent plea for help. The family of seven, including her mother, could no longer stay with a family friend who had been providing temporary shelter. Records from the City of Detroit’s Housing and Revitalization Department reveal that when Williams sought help, the city had multiple family shelter beds available within a three-mile radius of the casino where they parked. There is no record of a worker being dispatched to assess the family’s situation or offer immediate assistance.
For reasons still unclear, the situation was not classified as an emergency, which would have prompted the outreach specialist to be dispatched to assist the family. According to Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, city records show no indication that the family received a visit or that further action was taken following their initial contact. Duggan explained that, as far as the investigation has determined, the family did not call back after their last request for help. He acknowledged the gap in response during a press conference on Tuesday while detailing the ongoing review of the city’s homeless services.
The family’s van, their makeshift home for three months, usually provided heat through the night. They strategically chose casino parking structures, which offered relative safety, security cameras, and access to restroom facilities. However, Sunday night brought a critical failure – fuel depletion or mechanical issues left the family without heat as temperatures plunged below freezing.
Three other children in the van, ages 13, eight, and four, received immediate medical evaluation and treatment. All three were listed in stable condition and are now under protective care while authorities complete their investigation. Social services records indicate this is the family’s first involvement with child protective services.
Detroit Police Department investigators have conducted extensive interviews with Williams and the children’s grandmother, Yvette Goodman. Detectives are reviewing surveillance footage from the casino parking structure and gathering data from the night in question. No charges have been filed as investigators work to understand the complete sequence of events.
Mayor Duggan’s office has announced significant changes to the city’s homeless response system. The reforms include doubling the number of outreach workers from 12 to 24, establishing a 24-hour emergency housing hotline staffed by crisis intervention specialists, and implementing a new protocol requiring immediate response to any family with children seeking shelter during extreme weather conditions.
The investigation into the city’s housing response system will examine why Williams’ repeated calls for assistance failed to trigger emergency protocols. The review, led by Deputy Mayor Todd Benson and Housing Director Julie Schneider, will specifically analyze gaps in communication between the city’s various housing assistance programs and emergency services.
A Detroit-based funeral home has committed to covering all funeral and burial expenses for both children. In light of the recent tragedy, a GoFundMe campaign has been established to support Tateona Williams and her surviving children. Organized by her cousin, Javeina Moorer, the fundraiser aims to help Williams secure stable housing and provide for her family’s immediate needs. The campaign has raised over $12,000, reflecting the community’s compassion and desire to assist the family during this difficult time.
The Wayne County Medical Examiner’s office is conducting comprehensive autopsies on both children, with preliminary results expected within the week. The final determination of cause and manner of death could take several weeks as toxicology and other detailed medical analyses are completed.