Woman mistakenly declared dead last August dies of brain damage
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The 20-year-old woman who was mistakenly declared dead and discovered alive hours later when she was set to be embalmed in August has died.
Timesha Beauchamp, who was found unresponsive and declared dead on Aug. 23, “was allowed to die peacefully” last Sunday, Oct. 18, after suffering from brain damage, lawyer Geoffrey Fieger said in a statement yesterday, Oct. 19.
“She died as a result of massive brain damage that was suffered when Southfield paramedics wrongly declared her dead, and failed to provide her much needed oxygen,” the statement posted on the lawyer’s website, fiegerlaw.com, read.
“Instead, she was sent to a funeral home which then discovered that her eyes were open, and that she was alive,” he further stated.
Fieger has since filed a $50-million-lawsuit against the Southfield EMS Paramedics.
Beauchamp’s family also issued a statement that came with Fieger’s announcement, which read, “Our whole family is devastated. This is the second time our beloved Timesha has been pronounced dead – but this time she isn’t coming back.”
First responders said back then that Beauchamp was found unresponsive when they arrived at her home on Aug. 23, as per ABC affiliate WXYZ on Aug. 24. After performing standard medical procedures to revive her, she was declared dead by paramedics.
The Southfield Fire Department chief said in a statement that because there was no evidence of foul play, they called the Oakland County Medical Examiner’s Office and provided the medical data, following standard operating procedures.
Based on what they told the doctor over the phone, Beauchamp was again declared to be deceased. She was then taken to a funeral home, where staff discovered that she was still alive as they saw her eyes open after they unzipped the body bag.
Fieger was hired by the Beauchamps to determine how much of the delay to get Beauchamp proper medical care cost her health, according to the report.
In a similar incident earlier this month, a man in India also – initially declared dead – died of lung problems days after being found alive and shaking inside a mortuary freezer. Ian Biong/JB
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