Trending Topics

Mich. officials settle lawsuit for $3.25M after patient wrongly declared dead by EMS

The city of Southfield agreed to pay $3.25 million to settle a lawsuit tied to the 2020 Timesha Beauchamp case, in which she was pronounced dead by paramedics and later found alive at a funeral home

SOUTHFIELD, Mich. — The city of Southfield has agreed to pay $3.25 million to settle a lawsuit filed by the mother of Timesha Beauchamp, who was wrongly declared dead by paramedics in 2020.

The settlement comes more than five years after Beauchamp, who had cerebral palsy, was found alive at a funeral home hours after Southfield EMS pronounced her dead, Click On Detroit reported.

| READ NEXT: ROSC after death: The Lazarus syndrome

The case was delayed multiple times before resolving. In October 2025, Lattimore and her attorneys accused the city of using procedural tactics to keep the case from going to trial.

Beauchamp died in October 2020, about two months after the incident.

In a statement, the city of Southfield said no settlement can undo what happened on Aug. 23, 2020, or ease the family’s pain, adding that the case unfolded under “extraordinarily difficult circumstances” during the global COVID-19 pandemic.

The city said it remains committed to high-quality EMS care and hopes the settlement allows all parties to move forward.

| READ NEXT: Reassessment matters

Trending
Police say the gunman was among three people killed in a targeted shooting tied to a family dispute at a Pawtucket hockey rink
The Cleveland Clinic’s proposal to open an adult Level 1 trauma center is drawing pushback from MetroHealth
The new AirCare 2, based in Griffin, extends helicopter ambulance coverage across metro Atlanta and western Georgia
Center County plans to replace 1,031 portable radios and 331 mobile radios, citing aging equipment, rural dead zones and rising replacement costs
Company News
First Due has integrated Axene CE into its LMS, allowing EMS agencies to manage CAPCE-accredited training and compliance in one system

Bill Carey is the associate editor for FireRescue1.com and EMS1.com. A former Maryland volunteer firefighter, sergeant, and lieutenant, Bill has written for several fire service publications and platforms. His work on firefighter behavioral health garnered a 2014 Neal Award nomination. His ongoing research and writings about line-of-duty death data is frequently cited in articles, presentations, and trainings. Have a news tip? He can be reached at news@lexipol.com.