Watch CBS News

Southfield Mom: Son Dies While EMS Took 45 Mins To Arrive

SOUTHFIELD, Mich. (AP/WWJ) — A Detroit-area woman says emergency responders took 45 minutes to arrive after she called 911 to report her 10-year-old son was having an asthma attack that ultimately killed him.

Xavier Joe suffered the asthma attack Sunday night at his home in Southfield.

Before Danielle Joe could take her son to the hospital, he collapsed. Two neighbors performed CPR on him.

"I felt like I was in the Twilight Zone, I just, I tried everything I could to help my son, to get him some help, at the moment I just really can't understand how any of this could have happened," Joe told WWJ.

Shortly after emergency personnel arrived, she says her son was dead.

"He did come back for a minute, after I was begging him to come back to me," Joe said. "He did come back only to let me know that he did hear my voice, but he had to go."

Southfield said in a statement it took 15 minutes for EMS to arrive, not 45. The city explained a call from a family trapped in a house fire came in at the same time as Joe's emergency call.

The family is hosting a fundraiser. Get more information HERE.

(TM and © Copyright 2011 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.