Expand / Collapse search
☰

Woman found alive at Detroit funeral home after she was declared dead

Updated  August 24, 2020 5:21pm EDT
FOX 2 Detroit

SOUTHFIELD, Mich. - A woman who was pronounced dead after emergency crews from the Southfield Fire Department found her unresponsive was found to still be breathing at a Detroit funeral home.

In a case of mistaken pronouncement of death, a female patient was originally found to be unresponsive at her home in Southfield around 7:30 a.m. Sunday morning. 

Woman pronounced dead found breathing at Detroit funeral home

A Southfield 20-year-old woman was declared dead by firefighters but when a Detroit funeral home went to care of her remains, they found her alive.

When paramedics arrived, they determined the 20-year-old wasn't breathing and performed CPR and other life-reviving methods for 30 minutes. "Given medical readings and the condition of the patient, it was determined at that time that she did not have signs of life," read a statement from the Southfield Fire Department.

The fire department then contacted the Oakland County Medical Examiner's Office and the woman's medical data was given. After the patient was found to have died, her body was sent to the family to make arrangements for a funeral. 

The woman's body was sent to the James H. Cole Home for Funerals business. Officials with the funeral home said after the woman's body arrived, staff confirmed she was still breathing and called emergency medical services again.

The funeral business is on 16100 Schaefer Highway in Detroit

The funeral home did not release any more information. The Southfield Fire Department released this statement on the incident:

"A local emergency department physician pronounced the patient deceased based upon medical information provided by the Southfield Fire Department at the scene. After which, the Southfield Police Department contacted the Oakland County Medical Examiner's Office to notify them of the findings and the on-duty forensic pathologist released the body to the family. The Southfield Fire and Police Departments followed all appropriate city, county and state protocols and procedures in this case. The City of Southfield is currently conducting a thorough internal investigation in addition to the Oakland County Medical Control Authority (OCMCA) which will be reporting their findings to the State of Michigan Bureau of EMS, Trauma and Preparedness (BETP). In an effort to provide as much transparency as possible, more information will be provided as it is available."

Woman declared dead by EMS, medical examiner’s office, found to be breathing at funeral home

Funeral home officials made a bizarre discovery when a woman they received Sunday was found to still be breathing. The 20-year-old had been declared dead by both Southfield emergency crews and the Oakland County Medical Examiner's office.