The death of Moneque Cook, a 53-year-old woman from Eastpointe, found behind a dumpster in Mount Clemens, has prompted renewed concern during the region’s severe cold. She was discovered unresponsive on Jan. 20 by a waste disposal driver and later pronounced dead at a local hospital, according to the Free Press. The Macomb County Sheriff’s Office said foul play is not suspected, but the circumstances remain under investigation.
As the community grapples with the loss, Mount Clemens Mayor Laura Kropp expressed her sorrow, stating, "I am heartbroken by the tragic loss of a woman who appears to have died after freezing to death behind a dumpster in our community," in a statement obtained by CBS Detroit. Found during a cold snap where temperatures dropped to 4 degrees, officials issued a cold weather advisory through January 24, cautioning of perilously low windchills down to minus 25 degrees.
Mount Clemens City Commissioner Spencer Calhoun has since initiated a committee in response to the event aimed at preventing future tragedies like this. "No one, regardless of what they're going through, should be outside dying in the cold," Calhoun mentioned to CBS Detroit. This comes at a time when the surviving family of Cook stated to WXYZ that she was loved and attempts were made to lend her support.
The death has highlighted strained resources for unhoused residents, with shelters at capacity, according to April Fidler, executive director of MCREST. “There’s not enough funding to provide all the services needed for emergencies this time of year,” Fidler told WXYZ. County officials directed those in need to warming centers, including the Cairns Community Center and the Macomb County Winter Shelter’s WAVE Project.
