A Detroit-area community has agreed to a $3.5 million settlement with the family of a young woman who was wrongly declared dead at her home, only to later gasp for air and open her eyes inside a funeral home.
The settlement stems from the 2020 death of Timesha Beauchamp, a 20-year-old woman with cerebral palsy, whose case drew national attention after the disturbing details came to light. According to WOOD TV, the agreement follows years of litigation and appeals over the actions of Southfield paramedics, who were accused of gross negligence during their response to a 911 call on August 23, 2020.
Paramedics Declared Her Dead Without Transporting Her
On the day of the incident, Beauchamp’s family called 911 after she began experiencing severe respiratory distress. Emergency medical responders attempted resuscitation efforts at the home and consulted with a physician over the phone. That doctor reportedly declared Beauchamp deceased without physically examining her or visiting the scene.
Her body was then placed into a body bag and transported to a funeral home. However, when funeral home employees later unzipped the body bag, they were horrified to discover that Beauchamp was gasping for air and opening her eyes — clear signs that she was still alive…