A Michigan mother and her two children were found frozen to death on Sunday, with police describing the cause of the incident as a “mental health crisis.”
Here’s what we know about what happened.
shocking police discovery
At 3:10 p.m. Sunday, January 15, Oakland County legislators called To overgrown field Near Pontiac, Michiganwhere three bodies were found.
police identified the deceased as Monica Canady, 35, and her children, Kyle Milton Jr., 9, and Malik Milton, 3.
Sheriffs were alerted to the scene when Canady’s third child, 10, knocked on a stranger’s door and said, “Her family was dead in the fields,” Oakland said. County Sheriff Michael Bouchard Said on Monday.
how did they die?
all three died of hypothermiaaccording to the authorities.
Death ruled an accident, click on Detroit report.
what happened?
According to sources, Canady had taken the children out of the apartment the previous week and was convinced that people, including police officers, were trying to kill her. I told them to run away or hide when they approached, and told my family to lie down and sleep in the fields.
“This tragedy was fundamental proof of the collapse of America’s mental health system,” Sheriff Bouchard Said on Monday. “We are not providing enough support to our mental health providers and systems, and we do not have enough resources readily available.”
Were there any warning signs?
The family said Canady was an attentive and capable mother, but they noticed three weeks before she died that she began to behave differently, according to Fox 2 Detroit. report.
“She was a good mom. says Milton. told WXYZ.
When Canady began acting strangely, the family tried to get her help, including devoting herself to mental health care, but her mother refused. According to Click On Detroit.
The site also reports that police have reason to believe a mental health crisis occurred after the children’s father, Kyle Milton Sr, was shot dead in November 2021.
Residents near the field where the family was found also called police and reported the family appearing to be wandering the area without proper winter clothing.
Canady reportedly knocked on random houses for food, but don’t receive money.
“It’s terrible,” resident Charles Witherspoon, who interacted with Cannady and her family in the days leading up to her neighbor’s death, told CBS Detroit.
Police said they were aware of reports of a family member wandering around the area, but did not understand it was a mental health crisis.
“From our side, we were not called on people at risk or children,” Bouchard said. Said on Monday. “Sometimes I get calls saying, ‘Hey, there are people in this area who don’t seem to be properly dressed.’ ”
What is the status of survivors?
Canady’s surviving 10-year-old reportedly to the hospital stable state.
Child Protective Services are investigating the incident and the surviving child will be released to the family.Click on Detroit report.
go fund me page Established to support tragedy survivors and pay for funeral expenses.
