Mother, young children without home after van crashes through Detroit house

Family living in hotel

DETROIT – A Detroit mother and her four young children have been living in a hotel room since a van crashed through their house Monday.

Lori Thompson and her sons, Michael, 9; Anthony, 5; Isaiah, 4; and Deshawn, 3, have no where to go once they stop receiving help from the American Red Cross.

"I refuse to put my kids in a shelter even if for a day. It's not my fault he crashed into my home," Thompson said.

She's grateful her boys weren't home at the time. The mother had just returned from dropping her boys off at school and daycare when the van slammed into her west side home.

"If it wasn't for that wall, I'd be dead. They wouldn't have a mom. No Mother's Day for me," Thompson said.

 She doesn't have homeowners insurance and aid organizations told her she'd have to go on a waitlist in order to be eligible for housing.

A GoFundMe account has been set up to assist Thompson.


About the Authors:

Priya joined WDIV-Local 4 in 2013 as a reporter and fill-in anchor. Education: B.A. in Communications/Post Grad in Advanced Journalism