MOUNT CLEMENS, Mich. (WXYZ) — A 53-year-old woman found dead in freezing temperatures in Mount Clemens Thursday morning was known to local outreach workers who had helped her just one week before her death.
Moneque Cook was discovered barefoot and unresponsive behind a dumpster early Thursday morning and was rushed to a nearby hospital, where she was pronounced dead. The Macomb County Sheriff's Office is continuing to investigate the circumstances of her death.
Watch Ruta Ulcinaite's video report below:
Cook was familiar to volunteers with Motor City Mitten Mission, a nonprofit that helps unhoused individuals with food, resources and shelter. The organization had worked with Cook regularly, including just weeks before her death.
"Monique never gave us any problems or issues and was just very grateful and very appreciative for the food that we gave and the blankets that we provide and the bus passes that we provided," said Gail Marlow, executive director of Motor City Mitten Mission.
Related: See the list of warming centers in Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties
Cook mostly spent time at a park steps from where she was found Thursday, according to Marlow, who interacted with Cook.
For Marlow, learning about Cook's death was particularly devastating because preventing such tragedies is exactly what her organization works to accomplish every day.
"We put so much effort into it every single day to make sure things like that don't happen," Marlow said.
Motor City Mitten Mission searches the streets of Macomb, Oakland and Wayne counties daily, looking for homeless individuals to help with food and shelter options.
"Right now, you have a lot of people that are sleeping in cars, that are sleeping in abandoned buildings and that are sleeping in kind of hidden areas," Marlow said.
Related video: Detroit nonprofit helps 200+ homeless during extreme cold weather
Marlow said her organization prioritized helping people in the Detroit area the night Cook was found. With resources, manpower and funding running thin, she hopes the local government can step up to help organizations like hers.
“Homelessness and food and housing insecurity is a real issue and that all of us are only one step away from it," she said.
City Commissioner Spencer Calhoun told 7 News Detroit he is leading a newly formed task force aimed at addressing homelessness in Mount Clemens.
Watch our previous report when we spoke with Spencer Calhoun as the community calls for action:
In a statement, Macomb County Health and Community Services said:
"We are deeply saddened by the loss of life that occurred in Mount Clemens, and our thoughts are with this woman and anyone who may have known or cared for her. The individual is currently at the Medical Examiner’s Office, and the circumstances surrounding her death remain under investigation. Out of respect for that process, it would be premature to comment further on the specific details
Macomb County works year-round with community partners to connect individuals experiencing homelessness with shelter, warming centers and supportive services, especially during extreme cold weather. At this time, we have no record indicating this individual had previously accessed or requested services through Macomb County programs, but we continue to encourage anyone in need or anyone concerned about a vulnerable person to reach out so help can be provided.
We recognize the important role nonprofit organizations play in outreach and support, and we have met with service organizations including Motor City Mitten Mission on multiple occasions to help connect them with other non-profit agencies and partners, including Advancing Macomb, to build capacity and target additional funding. The County remains committed to collaboration, transparency and continually evaluating how we can strengthen outreach efforts alongside our community partners."
Here are resources for those needing a warm place to stay:
- Oakland County homeless services
- Oakland County warming and cooling centers
- Macomb County warming centers
- Wayne County warming and cooling centers
- Wayne Metropolitan Community Action Agency homeless services
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