20-year-old woman found breathing at funeral home after being pronounced dead

Monday, August 24, 2020
Woman pronounced dead found breathing at funeral home
Authorities say the woman was unresponsive and pronounced dead by paramedics and the medical examiner, but was later breathing at the funeral home.

DETROIT, Michigan -- Residents in Detroit are left with more questions than answers after a 20-year-old woman believed to have died was found breathing at a funeral home.

The Southfield Fire Department released a statement saying paramedics responded to a call for an unresponsive female Sunday morning.

When paramedics arrived on the scene, they found the woman to not be breathing.

According to the statement from the fire department, the paramedics performed CPR and other life saving methods for 30 minutes.

After their efforts, "given medical readings and the condition of the patient, it was determined at that time that she did not have signs of life."

Authorities say per standard operating procedure in a situation where foul play is not suspected, the medical examiner's office was contacted and given the medical data.

The medical examiner's office again determined the patient to have expired, and her body was released directly to the family to make arrangements with a funeral home.

WXYZ reports hours later, staff at the James H. Cole funeral home realized the woman was still breathing.

It is unclear what led up to the call for the unresponsive woman.

Authorities are not releasing additional personal information on the woman at this time.