Police believe 2 children froze to death in Detroit casino garage — DRMM Responds

 

After the tragic news story broke about the mom and her 5 kids who slept in their van overnight in a casino parking, and 2 of the kids freezing to death, local media called DRMM to get a response and also resources for those who may be experiencing homelessness.

DETROIT – Police believe two children who stopped breathing inside a van at a Detroit casino parking garage froze to death.

Here’s what we know so far.

Children found unresponsive in car

Investigators believe a mother and five children were inside a van at the parking garage for the Hollywood Casino in Detroit.

Around 1 p.m. Monday, Feb. 10, 2025, the mother noticed that her 9-year-old son wasn’t breathing, police said.

 

The mother called a friend, who took the child and the mother to Children’s Hospital, according to authorities.

While those three were at the hospital, the children’s grandmother called and said another one of the kids — a 2-year-old girl — had also stopped breathing, police said.

The friend returned to the van, and the girl was also taken to the hospital.

Police said both children were pronounced dead at the hospital. It is believed they froze to death.

“I feel sad, very sad, especially as a father,” Detroit police Capt. Nathan Duda said. “I just can’t imagine what the family is feeling. I wish it hadn’t happened.”

Circumstances surrounding deaths

At this point, investigators believe the mother drove the van into the parking garage around 1 a.m. Monday and went up to the ninth floor.

At some point in the morning, the van ran out of gas. Temperatures dropped into the teens that night.

Police said they think the family was living in the van and called the two deaths “preventable.”

“I know that they had an address on the east side in an apartment complex, but her, the mother, and the other family member that ended up conveying the children — they said that they were unsheltered,” Duda said. “They didn’t have a residence to go to.”

What happened to mother, other 3 children?

The three surviving children were taken to the hospital for evaluation and treatment. They were born in 2011, 2016, and 2020, according to authorities.

Police said those children are expected to be OK.

Children’s Protective Services is involved.

The mother sat down to speak with detectives, they said. She has not been arrested, but officers said they haven’t yet ruled out the possibility of charges.

“I don’t think anyone really wants to think about that at the moment, with the two children passing,” Duda said. “But the reality is that the circumstances do have to be examined. We have to figure out how to go forward.”

Resources available

With police believing that the family was living in the van, they wanted to remind everyone that there are resources available for anyone who finds themselves in a similar situation.

“There’s actually respite centers or relief centers all across the city,” Duda said. “There are so many resources available, and these resources will keep families together. The children and the mother may stay in the same spot, in the same building. That way, the family is maintained. It’s kept whole. They have each other for support. This was unnecessary. It didn’t have to happen this way.

“I would just ask that people be aware of those that are in need. If you see somebody who appears unsheltered and it’s sub-zero or cold weather, please call 911. We’ll come. We’ll help.

“We’ll show up with all the right people to be able to offer resources to transport, to feed, to clothe, to give that person shelter. We do care. That’s a call we would like to get.”

Click here to view a list of warming centers.

 

“That story really kind of affected me, too, because at one point in time, I was the mom sleeping in the car with her children, and it kind of hurt me because at any point in time, it could have been one of my children being in that situation,” said Charlisa Williams, a mother of five children.

Williams said she found the home her family needed at the Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries’ women’s shelter.

“It’s just very important that people understand that you don’t have to be outside,” said Chiara Clayton, of Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries.

“There’s nothing wrong with asking people for help,” Williams said.

Both Williams and Clayton want anyone who needs help to know that it’s always available.

“We don’t turn people away,” Clayton said. “So even if there’s a situation where there isn’t a city ordinance, if someone comes to one of our shelters and needs services, we’re going to help them.”

The Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries is considering a partnership with different places where people might stay to live out of their vehicles. They’ll talk to employees and attendants at those places so that helpful information can be relayed to people who need it.

If you ever find yourself without shelter during cold temperatures, you can call the Detroit Housing Assistance Hotline at 866-313-2520.

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