Nationwide — Tasheba Anderson, a 52-year-old African American mother from Miami, Florida, died after firefighters allegedly left her in critical condition. Her family claims the first responders’ actions contributed to her death, and an investigation is underway.
“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,” Anderson’s sister, Audrey Bend, told WLBT.
As the first responders walked away, Bend recalled hearing Anderson plead for help. “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?'” Bend said. Moments later, Anderson lost consciousness.
When the firefighters returned, tension escalated between them and Anderson’s family. Bend describes how one firefighter threw Anderson’s ID on the ground after her cousin handed it to her.
Firefighters eventually took Anderson to Jackson North Medical Center, but it was too late. She died within two hours, leaving behind a 21-year-old son.
“They could have saved her life. They left her,” Bend said. “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.”
Anderson’s cause of death remains unknown. Six months earlier, she had undergone gastric bypass surgery, but her family had not noticed any complications.
“I feel like something could have worked out if they just did their job, not just go and leave her and say, ‘I’ll be back.’What fire rescue does that?” she added.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue has confirmed they are investigating the incident.