A lot of us were left wondering what the next steps were for the homeless woman in Detroit who lost two of her children to freezing temperatures. Luckily, some locals with very big hearts have vowed to step in and help.
As The Root previously reported, 29-year-old Tateona Williams told FOX 2 Detroit she and her five kids had been sleeping in a minivan for months as she tried endlessly to seek shelter. She sought help from Detroit’s Coordinated Assistance Model, homeless solutions agencies, hotels and even the childrens’ own father but to no avail. On the night of Feb. 10, as she and her family slept, she told reporters the car’s heat stopped working, leaving them in below-freezing temperatures.
When she woke, she said her 2-year-old and 9-year-old were not breathing. They were later pronounced dead at the hospital. Though their cause of death is still being investigated, Detroit police suspect the children died due to being exposed to the freezing cold.
Thursday, little Darnell Currie Jr. and A’millah Currie were laid to rest, according to The Detroit Free Press. The New McFall Brothers Funeral Home offered to provide funeral services for the family for free, the report says. However, despite the tragedy, Williams received news that may ensure the rest of her children survive this winter and possibly the next.
Deputy Mayor Melia Howard stated a local group came forward vowing to pay rent for a whole year to ensure Williams and her remaining children have housing, per MLive. She said the city’s housing and revitalization department is working to secure housing for Williams, projecting their move in for as soon as this weekend.
“It’s just important for me to let them know that we’re not just here for today. We’re going to be with them as long as they need us,” Howard said at the funeral home via The Detroit News, with tears in her eyes.