Tasheba Anderson’s family is blaming first responders for her death. Anderson, 52, had been experiencing intense stomach pain, which had previously resulted in many hospital trips, according to her relatives.
She had another episode two weeks ago, which prompted a contact with emergency services. Miami-Dade Fire Rescue paramedics arrived at her residence and first offered care before wrapping her in a sheet, her family said.
However, the situation took an abrupt and unexpected turn, and now Anderson’s final words continue to haunt her family.
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Audrey Bend, her sister, told WFOR, “She was saying, ‘Why won’t they help me? Why nobody won’t help me? Why they just leave me like that? Why they won’t help me?’”
“They had wrapped a sheet around her neck, and then, they got a call for a fire up the street. They left her here and said they would be back,” Bend said.
As Anderson lay in distress, she pleaded for help while her family members looked on, helpless and horrified. Moments later, they watched as she lost consciousness. Despite their growing panic, the first responders had already left for the fire emergency.
Firefighters eventually returned, but by then, tensions had risen between them and Anderson’s frustrated family. The confrontation became heated as relatives demanded answers.
Benda said, “They [Firefighters] were mad because they [the family] kept asking them, ‘Why did y’all leave? Why did you leave?’ So, my cousin had passed them [Anderson’s] ID to one of the firefighters, and she threw it on the ground.”
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Firefighters then rushed Anderson to Jackson North Medical Center. Within two hours of being transported, she was pronounced dead, leaving behind a 21-year-old son.
Her devastated family firmly believes that the firefighters’ decision to leave contributed to her death and that more could have been done to save her.
In response to the family’s allegations, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue has confirmed that they are conducting an internal investigation into the incident.
The exact cause of Anderson’s death remains unknown. However, her family noted that she had undergone gastric bypass surgery six months earlier. Despite this, Bend insisted that Anderson had not displayed any alarming health concerns leading up to the fatal incident.
As the investigation continues, Anderson’s loved ones remain heartbroken, searching for answers and accountability in the wake of what they believe was a preventable tragedy.
Bend lamented, “They could have saved her life. They left her. I’ve never heard this in my life, and I’m 69 years old. I’ve never heard a firefighter leaving someone. This is what we pay you for: to protect us.”
She questioned, “I feel like something could have worked out if they just did their job, not just went and leave her and say, ‘I’ll be back.’ What fire rescue does that?”
