Nationwide — Tateona Williams, a 29-year-old African American mother from Detroit, lost two of her children after they likely froze to death while seeking shelter in a van. The family had been living in the vehicle for months inside a casino parking garage. Williams says she repeatedly asked for help from homeless services but never received assistance in time.

On February 10, Williams, her four children, her mother Yvette Goodman, and another child were staying in their van at the Hollywood Casino parking garage, according to People.

That morning, she found her 9-year-old son, Darnell Currie Jr., unresponsive. She called a friend for help, and they rushed him to the hospital. While en route, they realized 2-year-old Amillah Currie had also stopped breathing. Both children were pronounced dead upon arrival, with authorities suspecting hypothermia as the cause.

The family had been living in the van for two to three months, using the parking garage for safety and restroom access.

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan stated that family shelter beds were available nearby but acknowledged that services are ineffective if residents don’t know how to access them.

Williams had contacted Detroit’s homeless response team on November 25th, saying they needed a new place to stay. No emergency outreach worker was sent, and the family never received a follow-up. Williams insists she kept calling for help but was repeatedly told no beds were available.

“I kept calling. I called out of state, cities, different states. I asked Detroit for help,” Williams said. “And they still would say, when I called, they didn’t have no beds. But it took two [of] my kids to die… for them to want to help.”

Williams and her surviving children are now staying at a shelter run by Detroit Power Detroit Community Outreach. The city has launched an investigation into its homeless response system, with a review of the case expected within two weeks.