Mom Of 2 Kids Who Died In Detroit Casino Garage Will Not Face Charges: Prosecutor

DETROIT — A mother will not face charges after two of her kids died from carbon monoxide poisoning while sleeping inside a van that was parked in a Detroit casino garage last February, according to the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office.

Officials determined the deaths were accidental after reviewing surveillance video, conducting interviews and checking out the van, which had a carbon monoxide leak.

"There were many public pronouncements by police and elected officials in this case," Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy said. "It is important to note that the warrant review was necessary in this case and solely within our purview. Those statements in some respects hampered our process. That being said, there will be no criminal charges in this case."

Prosecutors said the 29-year-old mother parked her van in the Greektown Casino Parking Garage in Detroit at 1:27 a.m. on Feb. 10, 2025. The van included her 2-year-old daughter Amillah, 9-year-old son Darnell, as well as her two other daughters, ages 4 and 8, prosecutors said.

The woman’s mother was also in the van with her then 13-year-old son, prosecutors said.

Prosecutors said the van was left running overnight amid bitter cold temperatures. They believe the family was living in the van because they had been without a permanent home for an unknown period of time.

Later that morning, prosecutors said the mother noticed that Darnell was unresponsive with blue lips. She then called a friend and told her that there was no gas in the van, prosecutors said.

The friend and a man arrived at the garage where the man approached the van with a gas can shortly before noon, prosecutors said.

The man also began working on the van's engine, while the mother placed Darnell in the sedan, which took them to a nearby hospital, prosecutors said.

While they were away, the family noticed Amillah wasn't breathing, and she was also taken to the hospital, prosecutors said.

Despite medical help, both kids were pronounced dead at the hospital, prosecutors said.

The other kids were also taken to the hospital where they appeared to be ok, prosecutors said.

Officials initially thought the two children died from hypothermia after the van stopped running during the middle of the night. But later determined it was from carbon monoxide poisoning, prosecutors said.

The mom did reach out to the city's homeless services multiple times, including as late as last November 2024, and told them she and her five kids had nowhere to live, prosecutors said.

Prosecutors said that conversation fell thorough, and neither the family nor the city followed up after that November call.