Southfield Fire Chief Provides Update On Woman Found Alive At Detroit Funeral Home

(CBS DETROIT) - The Southfield Fire Department held a press conference Wednesday morning to provide updates on a 20-year-old woman who was found alive at a Detroit funeral home.

RELATED LINK: Fieger: Woman Discovered Alive Minutes Before Embalming

It happened Sunday morning when the Southfield Fire Department paramedics responded to a call of an unresponsive woman.

That woman was identified as Timesha Beauchamp.

Southfield Fire Chief Johnny Menifee said when they arrived, Beauchamp was not breathing and after 30 mins first responders declared she was deceased.

She was taken to the James H. Cole funeral home where staff realized she was still breathing moments before embalming.

Menifee also said first responders checked her vitals three times and "each time Ms. Beauchamp didn't show any signs of life."

Here's the timeline of events from Menifee:

• Aug. 23 just before 7:30 a.m.: 911 call received reporting 20-year-old woman unconscious. First responders arrived shortly after the call.
• Aug. 23 at 7:35 a.m.: for 30 mins life saving measures were administered from first responders
• Aug. 23 at 8:07 a.m.: Southfield PD arrives on scene
• Aug. 23 at 8:09 a.m.: Providence Hospital was contacted by first responders and reported the information to a physician
• Aug. 23 between 8:09 a.m. and 8:38 a.m.: First responders were moving in and out of the home to clear the scene; as they walked back into the home a family member approached a first responder stating they heard Beauchamp breathing.
  • "The fire department immediately grabbed their equipment, went in and reassessed her. At no time did they find her breathing," said Menifee.
  • The fire department was preparing to leave when a family member told a police officer, they thought they felt a heartbeat.
  • Southfield PD was still at the scene, went into the home and reassessed Beauchamp again for the third time. "The patient at that time still did not detect any signs of life," said Menifee.

• Aug. 23 between 8:38 a.m.: Southfield FD left the scene.
• Aug. 23 between 8:53 a.m.: After contacting Oakland County Medical Examiner's Office  the Southfield PD left the scene.

Menifee says the fire department is still investigating to determine what happened Sunday and also wanted to address the "erroneous and inaccurate statements" from the family's Attorney Geoffrey Fieger.

Menifee said the most alarming and inaccurate statement from Fieger is Southfield FD/PD placed Beauchamp in a body bag.

"That is absolutely untrue. It is not part of our standard operating procedures, nor do we carry that equipment," he said. 

Menifee also said Fieger's statements of the fire department not contacting a doctor, the police department not contacting the medical examiner's office and not reacting to the family when they told officers they believe they felt a heartbeat were all false.

Menifee says this is still an active investigation.

Beauchamp is listed in critical condition at a local hospital and is on a ventilator.

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