Update: Sheriff releases more details surrounding deaths of Pontiac mother, two sons
PONTIAC, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) - Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard released more details about the days leading up to the deaths of a Pontiac mother and her two sons.
The victims, Monica Cannady, 35, Kyle Milton, 9, and Malik Milton, 3, were found dead lying in a field after the 10-year-old daughter knocked on a nearby neighbor's door and told them where her family was. The medical examiner confirmed the cause of death was hypothermia.
This update gives a more detailed look at the timeline of events and how the sheriff's office responded leading up to the deaths of Cannady and her two sons.
"I wanted a deeper dive that would potentially find ways to prevent such a tragedy in the future," Bouchard said. "I ordered a complete review of all calls, radio traffic, a canvas of the neighborhood, and any potential interactions with Monica Latrice Cannady and her children."
According to the sheriff's office, there were multiple attempts to assist the family on Friday, but the sheriff's office did not receive any calls about the family on Saturday or Sunday until the daughter knocked on the door.
In the update, police say they learned that at about 4 p.m. on Saturday, Cannady had knocked on the front door of a home on Branch Street, but when the occupant answered, she told them she was at the wrong house and left.
The sheriff's office was first notified about Cannady and her children at about 1 p.m. on Friday. They received a report saying the family stopped on Mill Street in downtown Pontiac looking for help.
When a deputy found the family within 10 minutes of receiving the call, they asked Cannady if she needed help and where she was headed, and she told the deputy she didn't need help and then walked away.
After that, about five minutes later, a second deputy made contact with Cannady inside McLaren Oakland Hospital.
According to the sheriff's office, this deputy repeatedly asked Cannady if they needed help and offered assistance, but she said she was okay, that her son had completed a medical visit at the hospital, and they were waiting for their ride to pick them up.
The deputy then followed the family as they walked down Woodward Avenue, telling her multiple times she wasn't in trouble and offered for her to get into the patrol car to be taken somewhere or the Pontiac substation so they could get out of the cold weather conditions.
The children were dressed in sweatshirts and had bed sheets wrapped around them.
After that, the deputy followed her to a nearby school and again offered assistance to help the family and provide them with coats.
Cannady then said she had family nearby and declined the help again.
Officials say the deputy ended up spending about 20 minutes with Cannady, and during the conversations, she did not appear to be suffering from a mental health crisis.
About two hours later, around 3:30 p.m. on Friday, Cannady brought her family to her mother's apartment, according to Cannady's family. The kids napped for 30 minutes, and then Cannady woke them up after she and her mother argued about Cannady's mental state.
At about 4:30 p.m., Cannady's aunt contacted the police about how she could help her, but when deputies went to Cannady's apartment on North Perry for a welfare check, no one was home.
According to the sheriff's office, after her death, they learned that Cannady was the same woman that the previous two deputies had made contact with earlier that day.
At about 4:43 p.m., they received reports of a woman walking near Franklin and Rapid with children who were not dressed for the weather conditions.
Police say a deputy searched the area, but not as completely as he was expected to, and did not see or make contact with Cannady or her children. The Sheriff's Office Special Investigations Unit is investigating the deputy's performance.
At about 5:20 p.m., still, on Friday, two deputies were sent back to the area to search for Cannady, and after 20 minutes and a perimeter search, the deputies could not find the family.
Three deputies were sent to the area again at 7:33 p.m., searched until 8:06 p.m., and could not find the family.
No calls regarding the family were made to the sheriff's office on Saturday, and on Sunday, Jan. 15, the 10-year-old daughter knocked on the neighbor's house, reporting that her mother and siblings were dead.
Police say they went to the 200 block of Branch St. and found their bodies lying in a field, which used to be the location of the Lakeside Housing Project.
The medical examiner reported the cause of death for each was hypothermia.
The girl was taken to a stable hospital and is in stable condition. When she is discharged, she will be taken to family members.
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