It’s been about two weeks since the City of Detroit and a local nonprofit teamed up to help a struggling mother, Tateona Williams, secure housing. Two of her children, A’millah and Darnell Currie, passed away in mid-Febraury. At the time of their deaths, the Detroit mother and her kids were living out of a van that moved from place to place. In the latest update, the local prosecutors are reportedly weighing whether to issue charges and an arrest warrant.
More Details On Cause Of Death
Tateona’s two-year-old daughter and nine-year-old son died in the early hours of Monday, February 10. Their van, which also served as a shelter for three additional children and their grandmother, had shut down. By the time A’millah and Darnell were transported to a hospital from the Hollywood Casino’s parking garage, they had passed away.
According to the Detroit Free Press, police and the medical examiner’s office wrapped their investigations into the kids’ deaths this month. Carbon monoxide toxicity is what killed A’millah and Darnell, but the Wayne County Medical Examiner’s Office ruled it accidental. Local police previously believed the children passed from the cold weather conditions inside the van caused by lack of fuel. Now, it’s unclear if it was a lack of gas or a mechanical failure.
Will The Mother Be Arrested?
On Wednesday (March 12), Detroit Police handed over its investigation findings to the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office. Despite the accidental deaths ruling, DFP reports that the prosecutor’s office confirmed a criminal investigation into the case is active. Some reports, like Fox 2 Detroit, claim that police requested an arrest warrant for Tateona Williams. However, the prosecutor’s office confirmed on Wednesday that it will not release any potential suspect names. It also refused to release any other details until its warrant review process was completed. That means prosecutors are still weighing whether they should file criminal charges against anyone involved.
“DPD has not requested charges to be filed against any family member of the children,” DP Chief Todd Bettison said on Wednesday. “As we do with every case, we have simply turned over our investigative file to the Prosecutor’s Office for its review and determination. Any charging decisions will be made solely by the Prosecutor’s Office.”
To help the review process, Detroit PD reportedly sent an extensive report to the prosecutor’s office about the kids’ deaths. Their investigative file cited police and forensic reports, witness statements, photographs, and other evidence.
Tateona Williams Reached Out For Housing Help, Which Didn’t Come Until After Her Kids’ Death
In February, Detroit’s Mayor Mike Duggan admitted that Tateona had sought help from the city in November. However, the agency she contacted had not deemed the situation an emergency, so it went unresolved. After her children died, Williams broke down during a news interview, admitting that she had “tried.”
According to the Detroit Free Press, last year wasn’t the first time Williams tried to seek public help. Records reportedly indicate she asked for pandemic-related help in 2022 to pay rent. That didn’t work out. In December 2023, she called a city homeless hotline twice for assistance but was referred to an overflow shelter. No records prove whether she and her kids ever stayed at the temporary spot. Then, last year, Detroit’s homeless response reached out to her three times between March and May. She could not be reached. Tateona returned the calls in the summer of 2024, alerting the agency that she had temporary housing that might not last. As mentioned, November was the last time she contacted the city before her kids passed less than two months later.
After losing her kids, Tateona Williams received a blessing from Detroit and Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries. The two provided her and her three living kids with a new home. It was complete with furniture, renovated floors, fresh paint, a stocked fridge, and games for the children. The sweet moment quickly went viral. Now, it’s unclear if Williams has been informed of possible charges for A’millah and Darnell’s deaths.
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