A 76-year-old woman was declared dead in an Ecuadorian hospital. However, during her wake, she was found gasping for air and knocking on her coffin.
'Dead' Woman in Coffin is Alive
She was reportedly brought to the hospital due to a possible cardiopulmonary arrest and stroke. After not responding to the protocols for resuscitation, the doctor declared that she was dead.
According to Futurism, Bella Montoya, the "dead" woman, was then taken to a funeral parlor. Her family had a vigil held for her.
Gilberto Barbera, Montoya's son, explains that around 20 of them were present. Around five hours after the wake started, sounds were heard from the coffin. Barbera explains that his mother was covered in sheets and banging on the coffin. When they neared the coffin, they saw that she was gasping for air.
She was then brought back to the hospital, where she had previously been declared dead, along with her death certificate. She was brought to the ICU, and her current state remains unknown.
CNN reports that state investigations are now being conducted, per the Ministry of Public Health. A national technical committee was also formed to medically audit the establishment of responsibilities for the alleged death confirmation.
Business Insider adds that Montoya's case is the fourth known case of the year where the dead reportedly woke up.
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The Living Getting Mistaken as Dead
While such stories are bound to receive widespread attention when they take place, such instances are quite rare.
According to NPR, Dr. Stephen Hughes, who is a senior lecturer from the School of Medicine and Anglia Ruskin University, explains that it is extremely rare for a "dead" person to wake inside a coffin. Dr. Hughes estimates that there are only a few cases around the world where a patient was erroneously declared dead.
However, it has taken place. In fact, last February, an 82-year-old woman was found alive inside a funeral home in New York. This came a few hours after she was pronounced dead in a nursing home, according to US News.
The New York Times adds that a similar case that took place last January in Iowa resulted in the care facility getting a fine of $10,000. In this specific case, the patient was sent to the funeral home. However, workers found her gasping for air inside the body bag.
What Conditions Could Be Mistaken For Death?
According to Medical News Today, there are some conditions that can make a person appear dead. One condition, catalepsy, is characterized by slowed breathing, complete immobility, decreased sensitivity, and a trance-like state. The condition may surface as part of the symptoms of neurological illnesses such as Parkinson's and epilepsy.
Locked-in syndrome, which is another condition that can be mistaken for death, can make a person experience the full paralysis of muscles that are voluntarily controlled, except for those muscles involved in eye movement. Back in 2014, a 39-year-old woman with locked-in syndrome was erroneously declared brain dead.
Science Alert also adds that, in some cases, sedative overdose may also reduce the body's responsiveness and decrease circulation and breathing. This may lead to the impression that one is dead as the brain is safeguarded against hypoxia. Drugs, like alprazolam and diazepam, have both led to mispronounced deaths.
Cold water immersion could also lead to this illusion because of how cold water can slow down one's heart rate, while fainting could also deceive a doctor due to the vagus nerve's activation.
Regardless of the reason, such cases tend to garner media attention due to how sensational and alarming they are. However, ultimately, they are extremely rare incidents.
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