A woman who was declared dead was heard knocking on her coffin and found alive during her wake, as an investigation into the hospital that declared her dead begins.
Everyone has heard the urban myth of someone knocking on their coffin during their funeral – but in Ecuador, it actually happened to the family of former nurse Bella Montoya.
The bizarre incident happened in Babahoyo, where Mrs Montoya gave her family the shock of their lives when her “coffin began to rattle”.
‘It gave us all a fright’: Woman found alive in coffin
The woman’s son, Gilberto Barbera Montoya, was relieved but shocked when it was revealed his mother was alive, several hours into her wake.
He told reporters: “It gave us all a fright. There were about 20 of us there… After about five hours of the wake, the coffin started to make sounds.”
When we approached we could see that she was breathing heavily.
After the mourners heard the noises, they approached the coffin to see Bella Montoya, 76, was still breathing. He added: “My mum was wrapped in sheets and hitting the coffin, and when we approached we could see that she was breathing heavily.”
Mrs Montoya was initially admitted to the hospital on Friday June 9 with a possible stroke and cardiopulmonary arrest. The health ministry added that she was declared dead when she didn’t respond to resuscitation.
Her son said his mother was unconscious when she was brought to the hospital. A doctor informed him a few hours later that she was dead. The doctor also handed over identity documents and a death certificate.
The woman remains in intensive care
Mrs Montoya was removed from her coffin and rushed back to the hospital on Friday, where she remains in intensive care. The health ministry is investigating the doctors involved in her case. A technical committee has also been formed to review how the hospital issues death certifcates.
Sadly, Mrs Montoya’s son said that doctors have not given relatives much hope about her prognosis. No details have been released about the doctor who had prematurely declared the woman dead.
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