Lucious Conway Social Security Disability Advocates provide, through SAMHSA SOAR (SSI/SSDI, Outreach, Access, Recovery) Works!, representation, documentation and advocacy to Detroit's unhoused homeless adult men and women. It is well known that many of these homeless adults in Detroit, as in other cities, face significant challenges related to mental illness and substance use disorders. These issues can create barriers to stable housing and employment, making it difficult for individuals to access the resources they need.
Comprehensive support services, including mental health treatment, addiction recovery programs, and affordable housing initiatives, are essential for helping these individuals regain stability and improve their quality of life. Community organizations and government programs often play a crucial role in addressing these complex needs.
Please join LCSSDA in this fight to end homelessness with your generous donates to help us help our homeless with a leg-up not a handout.
In a tragic incident on February 10, 2025, two young siblings, 9-year-old Darnell Currie Jr. and 2-year-old A'millah Currie, lost their lives due to carbon monoxide poisoning while sheltering in a van parked inside the Hollywood Casino parking garage in downtown Detroit. The family, facing homelessness, had been living in the van for several months.
On that fateful night, as temperatures dropped below freezing, the family's van ran out of gas, leaving them without heat. The following morning, the children's mother, Tateona Williams, discovered that Darnell was unresponsive. Despite rushing him to the hospital, he was pronounced dead. Shortly after, A'millah was also found unresponsive and was taken to the hospital, where she too was pronounced dead.
Initially, it was believed that hypothermia was the cause of death. However, autopsy results later confirmed that both children died from carbon monoxide toxicity. citeturn0news16 The source of the carbon monoxide was not explicitly detailed in the reports, but such poisoning can occur in enclosed spaces with inadequate ventilation.
This devastating event has brought attention to the challenges faced by homeless families in Detroit. Williams had reached out to the city's homeless services multiple times seeking assistance but was informed that no family rooms were available.
In response to the tragedy, Detroit officials have acknowledged shortcomings in their response system and are implementing policy changes, including in-person visits and a 24-hour hotline, to better support families in crisis.
In the aftermath, the community has rallied around Williams and her surviving children. The Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries, in collaboration with the city, has provided the family with a new home, complete with furnishings and support for a year, to help them rebuild their lives.
This heart-wrenching incident underscores the urgent need for accessible and effective support systems for homeless families, aiming to prevent such tragedies in the future.
