A mother and her 10-month-old son who were found dead inside the parking garage at Detroit Medical Center leave a father and husband devastated.
Police believe they died from carbon monoxide poisoning while waiting for a loved one who was undergoing a medical procedure.
“Like our first conversation – it was real natural and real familiar,” said the victim’s husband, DeMarray Canty.
Canty was working at the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office in the early days of the pandemic when he met his wife Kellye. They had a small wedding in April 2021, and soon after their son, Kanan was born.
“I just remember trying to be the best husband, fiance, partner, whatever I could be, especially during the pregnancy and stuff,” said Canty. He continued, “It was perfect to feel coming home to my family, it was kinda magical,”.
Canty stated that the day of his wife’s passing started out as their regular routine. His wife, Kellye, and the baby took her mother to a doctor’s appointment at Harper Hospital where she parked in a parking structure and waited, but Kellye never came to get her mom after the appointment.
“I ended up calling her, she didn’t answer – so I called her sister back to see if she had talked to her,” Canty said. “I asked,” Did she have her location?”
Canty tracked down the car in the structure where he found Kellye and Kanan inside of the car with the doors locked.
“I just banged on the window calling her name – she wasn’t responding,” he said. With help from others, he was able to break a window.
“I got him out of the car seat and I held him and put him to my face,” he said. “I always put his face to my face – but his face was cold,” he said “And I’m trying to wake him up.”
Doctors and other medical professionals did everything they could but it was unfortunately too late. Investigators believe their deaths were accidental with carbon monoxide believed to be the cause.
“Eventually my mom had come in and she went in with her grandson and did what she usually does to try to wake him up, but he didn’t wake up,” Canty said.
Kellye and her son will be laid to rest on Friday.