A lawsuit against Detroit-area paramedics has been revived by a Michigan appeals court following a shocking incident where a woman declared dead was found gasping for air with her eyes open when a body bag was unzipped at a funeral home in Detroit.
The court ruled that a judge was wrong to dismiss the lawsuit in favor of Southfield paramedics before allowing the parties to conduct interviews and gather evidence through the discovery process. Timesha Beauchamp, a 20-year-old with cerebral palsy, was struggling to breathe when her family called 911 in August 2020.
Despite attempts to resuscitate her, a doctor ultimately declared Beauchamp dead without taking her to a hospital. Later that day, when a funeral home unzipped the body bag, they discovered that Beauchamp was still alive. She was rushed to a hospital but tragically passed away two months later.
The family of Beauchamp accused the medical crew of gross negligence, but the lawsuit was initially dismissed by Oakland County Judge Nanci Grant citing governmental immunity for the Southfield employees.
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During the appeals court hearing, Kali Henderson, the attorney representing the medical crew, acknowledged the severity of the situation but argued that the paramedics and emergency medical technicians may not be liable as there is no evidence to suggest that their actions could have changed Beauchamp’s condition.
Judge Brock Swartzle highlighted that more information needs to be gathered through depositions and further investigation to determine the responsibility of the medical crew in Beauchamp’s eventual passing.
The lawsuit will now be sent back to the Oakland County court for further proceedings. Following the incident, the Southfield fire chief speculated that Beauchamp’s recovery could be attributed to the “Lazarus syndrome,” where individuals spontaneously revive after failed resuscitation attempts.
By Ed White
