WEDNESDAY NEWS HIT - It's been two-and-a-half months since Priscilla Slater was found dead in a Harper Woods jail cell and Tuesday, family finally learned how she died: cardiac dysrhthmia, which is considered an undetermined heart issue. Between her death and a medical examiner's report, the city has experienced several protests, one resigned mayor and two fired police officers.
Attorney Geoffrey Fieger, who is representing Slater's family in a lawsuit against the city, said Tuesday they still plan to sue.
"The medical examiner thinks she suffered a cardiac event at 5 o'clock in the morning. She was not declared dead until almost 3 o'clock in the afternoon - which meant she was left alone for nine hours and that two people have been fired for engaging in covering up evidence after her death. We know something bad happened," he said.
There had been very few updates regarding Slater's case until last week when Harper Woods fired two officers that attempted to conceal and manipulate evidence on the victim's police report.
An attorney for Harper Woods said that officers are required to perform periodic checks on individuals in custody, however, it's unclear if that was done. Any relevant evidence has been handed over to Michigan State Police.
Even so, John Gillooly, the Harper Woods attorney, believes the city will be exonerated.
"The city of Harper Woods employees had no knowledge whatsoever that she was in serious need of immediate medical attention," he said. "The question remains and we feel very confident that the city of Harper Woods will be exonerated."
FOX 2 has filed a request for a full autopsy report.
Eastpointe teen with autism found after going missing
Eastpointe police say a 13-year-old with autism was found after he went missing Tuesday evening, just before 5 p.m.
The news was confirmed by the Eastpointe Fire Department Wednesday morning. Law enforcement is working to find out what happened.
Marquise Tolbert originally went missing after he got into a black pickup truck on Pleasant Avenue yesterday. His family doesn't know anyone with that style truck.
Whitmer won't be 'bullied' into reopening businesses too early
The governor pushed back on pressures from small businesses and Chambers of Commerce Tuesday when she said she argued COVID-19 was still a threat to the state and she was "not going to be bullied into making that decision. I'm going to follow the science, I'm going to work with (MDHHS Chief Dr. Joneigh) Khaldun."
From fitness clubs to movie theaters, many industries left out of the early waves of reopenings during the first few months of COVID-19 are pleading with the governor to allow them to go back to work.
Many gyms have published safety protocols that would be in place once they could serve patrons again while some have even reopened anyways, defying the governor's order.
"We're a family business, we want to be here for another 47 years. I'm not doing this for me. My employees need some answers," said Steven Satovsky, who owns the Beverly Hills Club.
As for cinemas, they have been among the hardest-hit businesses financially.
Four dead after fatal crash in St. Clair County
Michigan State Police say a two-vehicle wreck in Cottrellville Township in St. Clair County has left four people dead.
First reported late Tuesday night, the crash happened around 4:05 p.m. after a westbound vehicle struck another vehicle traveling south. It happened at the intersection of Broadbridge and Starville, which is about 12 miles east of New Baltimore.
The collision forced both vehicles into a wooded area off the roadway where one caught fire.
Of the four people that died, three were pronounced deceased on scene and a fourth at an area hospital.
The victims were identified as a 37-year-old man from Lapeer, a 34-year-old man from New Baltimore, a 40-year-old man from Cottrellville Township, and a 37-year-old woman from Cottrelville Township.
The state police in Lapeer are currently investigating the scene.
Press conference scheduled Wednesday on woman who was found alive at funeral home
The Southfield Fire and Police Department will hold a joint press conference today at 10 a.m. to discuss an incident where a 20-year-old woman was declared dead by emergency services was found alive at a funeral home.
FOX 2 will stream the press conference on our Facebook page.
The woman, Timesha Beauchamp, was found unresponsive Sunday morning and had CPR performed on her for 30 minutes before being declared dead. After information was sent to the Oakland County Medical Examiner's office, her body was taken to a Detroit funeral home for preparation.
While there, she was found to still be breathing.
Daily Forecast
Scattered storms will persist throughout Wednesday as temperatures reach 88 degrees. Expect a hot day on Thursday.
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Wednesday scattered showers and storms!
The hot weather persists through the week.
3 shot, 2 fatally, during 3rd night of unrest in Kenosha
Two people died and one person was injured as shots were fired late Tuesday in Kenosha during the third night of unrest in Wisconsin following the shooting of a Black man by police, Kenosha police said.
The shooting was reported at about 11:45 p.m. in an area where protests have taken place, Kenosha police Lt. Joseph Nosalik said in a news release. The injured person was in serious condition at a local hospital with serious but non-life threatening injuries, he said.
The shooting was under investigation and no other information was released. The victims have not been identified.
Jacob Blake, who was shot shot multiple times by police in Wisconsin, is paralyzed, and it would “take a miracle” for him to walk again, his family’s attorney said Tuesday, while calling for the officer who opened fire to be arrested and others involved to lose their jobs.