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‘Dead’ Man: Medical Examiner Calls Transport On Man Who Wakes At Last Minute

By Bradley Ryder
Published on: 00:41 PST, May 25, 2015

Thankfully, this doesn’t happen often in the news, but when it does, it stops your heartbeat. Last Tuesday, a Milwaukee dead man moments away from being transported to a Wisconsin medical examiner’s office, suddenly woke up, stunning medics in the process. Authorities are now investigating why first responders thought the 46-year-old man died according to a JSOnline report.

Thomas Sancomb, 46, was last seen alive days before he was declared dead by a medical examiner. It was also the same day his girlfriend last communicated with him — via text message. She grew worried and called police, who arrived a short time later at the Tower Apartments to check on the man’s well-being; his girlfriend said he suffers from a serious medical condition.

When first responders received no response, they entered the home. There, they found Sancomb on the floor by his bed. Apparently, he had collapsed there at some point. A report said he appeared lifeless and “was cold to touch.” A medical examiner arrived a short time later and confirmed that the man was dead. A transport vehicle was called to the scene, but when they arrived, the man was seen moving his arm and leg. Because emergency responders had already left the scene, 911 was called.

Sancomb was taken to the hospital and provided emergency care. Doctors listed his condition as critical and he was placed in an intensive care unit. His brother spoke with reporters about the misstep. He said his brother suffers from a chronic thyroid problem. His body temperature was recorded at 84 degrees at the time and he was assumed to be dead by a medical examiner. Still, the fact that several opportunities were missed and no CPR was attempted is troubling to the man’s family.

A similar case involving a dead man and medical examiner mistake took place early this year. According to a previous Inquisitr report, North Carolina officials entered a $425,000 settlement agreement with a man who was mistakenly declared dead by a Franklin County coroner and actually transported to the morgue.

Larry Green, 39, was struck by a vehicle in Raleigh in 2005. When paramedics arrived, they found him severely injured and bleeding from a head laceration. After finding no evidence of vital signs, the man was pronounced dead by a medical examiner with a 37-year tenure. The victim was zipped up in a body bag and taken to the morgue.

At least eight witnesses testified that they saw Green’s chest moving, eyes twitching, and limbs moving. Each time paramedics and the medical examiner said the “dead man” was only showing signs of involuntary spasms “like a frog leg jumping in a frying pan.”

On the supposed breathing, staff on the scene said it was merely air escaping from the deceased man’s body. Later at the ME’s office, a trooper arrived to gather more information about the man’s manner of death. The medical examiner rolled Green’s body out of the refrigerator upon request. It was then they both discovered evidence of life. The family sued and as of this writing, the man remains paralyzed with brain damage in a nursing home.

On the Wisconsin man mistakenly declared dead by a member of the medical examiner’s office, sources say officials are reviewing the case to determine if protocols were properly followed.

[Photo by Darren Hauck/Getty Images]

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