Two children apparently froze to death while sleeping inside a van in a casino parking garage in Detroit, police said.
On Monday, the children, a 2-year-old girl and a 9-year-old boy, were resting inside the truck alongside five others, including their mother.
Detroit police Capt. Nathan Duda stated that they seemed to be homeless and living inside the van. According to the National Weather Service, temperatures in the area were around 12 degrees at the time, with wind chills as low as 6.
According to the Detroit Free Press, the family arrived at the Hollywood Casino in Greektown parking garage at 1 a.m. and parked on the ninth floor. Duda said the automobile ran out of petrol shortly after, although it’s unclear when.
According to the police chief, around noon on Monday, the mother discovered her 9-year-old son was not breathing and phoned a family friend to take him to the hospital. Their grandma then realized a second child was not breathing and called back, according to the Free Press.
“And so that person conveyed both children to Children’s Hospital, where they were pronounced deceased, with the early indicator being that they froze to death,” he said.
Three additional children in the vehicle have also been hospitalized, although their ages and conditions have not been disclosed.
Duda stated that a criminal probe into the matter is ongoing. According to the Free Press, the mother of the children has been apprehended.
“It has to be [investigated],” Duda said. “I don’t think anyone really wants to think about that at the moment with the two children passed, but the reality is that the circumstances do have to be examined. We have to figure out how to go forward.”
He added: “I just can’t imagine what the family is feeling.”
He also asked people to phone 911 if they see somebody in need or suffering in the cold.
“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,” he said. “We do care.”
