WATERFORD TOWNSHIP — Desiree Wheeler, a 36-year-old single mother of three, was found dead in a bathtub at her apartment in Waterford Township, Michigan. Her 2-month-old son was found dead in the same bathtub.

Police stated that Wheeler and her son appeared to have drowned in the bathtub. Emergency responders administered life-saving measures to Wheeler and her son at the scene before they were transported for medical care.

Wheeler and her son were pronounced dead at local hospitals. The Oakland County Medical Examiner’s Office stated that the cause and manner of death for Wheeler and her son are pending. Police stated that investigators are awaiting toxicology results to assist in the inquiry.

Waterford Township police and the Waterford Regional Fire Department were called to the Whispering Woods Apartments at approximately 10:30 p.m. Friday, July 31, following a reported drowning. Waterford Township is a charter township in Oakland County, Michigan.

Neighbor Sue Carey saw Wheeler with her 13-year-old child and baby hours before police arrived. Carey described the final interaction as a brief exchange in which Wheeler appeared calm.

"Her and the 13-year-old and the baby came out, and she said, ‘Hey, neighbor.’ I said, ‘Hey, neighbor.’ I said, ‘How the baby doing?’ She said, ‘Good, fine,’ and they went in, and that was the last of her that we knew," Carey said.

Carey observed Wheeler's teenage son watching as police removed Wheeler and the baby from the home. The teenager appeared unable to communicate clearly in the immediate aftermath of the discovery.

"He couldn’t really mumble words to tell us what had happened and went on so," Carey said. She noted the emotional impact of witnessing the family's distress during the emergency response.

"Really gut-wrenching to hear her family cry, and it just plays over and over in my head," she said. Neighbor Laurie Medaris also spoke about Wheeler's demeanor and relationship with her children prior to the incident.

"She did everything with her kids, everything. She was always smiling, she was always happy," Medaris said. Medaris characterized Wheeler as a devoted parent who engaged actively in daily activities with her three children.

The deaths of a mother and her infant in a domestic setting have prompted an ongoing investigation by local authorities in Oakland County. The Oakland County Medical Examiner’s Office has not yet determined the cause or manner of death, leaving key questions about the circumstances unresolved pending further analysis.

Investigators are awaiting toxicology results to provide additional context for the findings. The community response has showed the shock among neighbors who interacted with Wheeler shortly before emergency services arrived at the Whispering Woods Apartments.

Why It Matters

The pending toxicology results and medical examiner's determination are required to establish the cause and manner of death for both the mother and infant. Until these findings are released, the circumstances surrounding the drownings remain unresolved for the surviving family members and the community. The investigation's outcome will define the official record of the incident following the emergency response at the apartment.