Detroit suburb agrees to $3.25 million settlement after woman declared dead was found alive

Southfield agreed to a $3.25 million settlement after 20-year-old Timesha Beauchamp was declared dead at home, later found gasping at a funeral home, and died two months afterward; Michigan courts previously allowed the family’s case to proceed by overturning a dismissal based on governmental immunity.

Southfield has agreed to a $3.25 million settlement with the family of Timesha Beauchamp, a 20-year-old who was declared dead at home in 2020 and later found gasping at a funeral home. Paramedics in Southfield were accused of gross negligence in their response after a 911 call. Beauchamp was taken to a hospital after being found at the funeral home and died two months later. The case drew attention after a judge's earlier dismissal on grounds of governmental immunity was reversed by the Michigan Court of Appeals in 2024. Key facts: - Southfield agreed to a $3.25 million settlement with Beauchamp’s family related to the 2020 incident. - Timesha Beauchamp was declared dead at home, later discovered gasping when a funeral home opened her body bag, and was taken to a hospital where she died two months later. - Southfield had argued governmental immunity and won an initial dismissal, which the Michigan Court of Appeals overturned in 2024; Michigan authorities also announced conditions for reinstating the licenses of two paramedics. Summary: The settlement addresses the civil claim brought by Beauchamp’s family and follows an appeals court decision that allowed the case to proceed. Administrative steps regarding the paramedics’ licenses were reported as conditional on passing a national exam.