An internal investigation has been launched following the death of Tasheba Anderson, a 52-year-old woman from Florida, who was allegedly left untreated by Miami-Dade Fire Rescue paramedics on her kitchen floor as they left to attend another emergency call. This incident has brought up critical queries about emergency response protocols.
On January 26, 2025, around 2:30 PM, Anderson started to suffer from severe abdominal pain at her residence in Opa-Locka, Florida. Anderson, a recent patient of a gastric bypass surgery from Jackson Memorial Hospital six months prior, had been vigilant about her recovery process. She had experienced several similar bouts of pain that needed medical assistance in the past.
Anderson’s family promptly dialed 911 when her agony intensified. Responding swiftly, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue arrived at Anderson’s single-story house on Northwest 135th Street within a few minutes. They started their initial diagnosis and treatment, positioning Anderson on her kitchen floor to monitor her vitals.
Audrey Bent, Anderson’s sister, who witnessed the entire incident, recounted that the paramedics had just started their treatment when they got another call. “They had wrapped a sheet around her neck, and then, they got a call for a fire up the street. And they left her here and said they would be back,” Bent informed a local CBS affiliate. The fire was reportedly at a commercial building less than half a mile away on Northwest 27th Avenue.
As she lay immobilized on the floor, Anderson desperately pleaded for help. Bent recalled her sister’s last conscious moments: “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?'” Anderson lost consciousness minutes after the paramedics left, with her terrified family members by her side.
Medical history shows that Anderson was hospitalized several times in the last six months due to complications following her gastric bypass operation. While each episode needed immediate medical intervention, none were threatening her life until this incident. Her latest medical check-up, just a fortnight before her death, showed normal recovery progress.
The paramedics eventually returned to Anderson’s home, where they were confronted by the family members about their abandonment. Several witnesses reported that the first responders looked visibly irritated by these queries. The tension escalated when a paramedic allegedly threw Anderson’s ID card on the ground after it was handed to them by a family member, an incident witnessed by three family members.
Anderson was finally transported to Jackson North Medical Center. Despite the efforts of the emergency room staff, Anderson was declared dead at 5:17 PM, less than two hours after her arrival. The official cause of death is awaiting the medical examiner’s report.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue is conducting an internal investigation regarding the circumstances of Anderson’s medical emergency and the actions of the first responders. The department is closely examining dispatch records, response times, and protocol adherence to ascertain if the right procedures were followed. While officials have acknowledged the investigation, they have not disclosed any specific findings or provided a timeline for its completion. Anderson’s family is demanding transparency, questioning the handling of her care and the decisions made by the paramedics during the critical moments before her death.
Tasheba Anderson, who left a deep imprint on her community through her dedication to education as a school clerk, is survived by her son, Sean Collier, her mother, aunts and uncles, sisters, a large extended family, and friends. Her family is eagerly seeking closure regarding her tragic death.