Bella Montoya from Ecuador surprised everyone at her wake when she began knocking from her coffin. She was quickly rushed back to the same hospital. After seven days in intensive care, she was pronounced dead once again.
Montoya was originally admitted to the hospital suffering a suspected stroke and a heart attack. Ecuador’s health ministry says after trying resuscitation with no response the doctor on duty declared her dead. A death certificate was handed over.
The family brought her to a funeral home and were holding a wake. Five hours into the wake the coffin started to make sounds.
An Ecuadorian woman has risen from the 'dead' after almost being buried alive.
— 10 News First (@10NewsFirst) June 13, 2023
Shocking video footage shows the moment 76-year-old Bella Montoya was rescued from a coffin after being stuck inside for over four hours. Her family discovered her as they were preparing to change her… pic.twitter.com/JfjqSUykBi
Speaking to The Guardian, Montoya’s son Barbera said: “It gave us all a fright”.
Montoya was a retired nurse.
“After about five hours of the wake, the coffin started to make sounds. My mom was wrapped in sheets and hitting the coffin, and when we approached we could see that she was breathing heavily”
This strange incident happened in the city of Babahoyo.
Her son spoke to El Pais and said: “Something told me that she wasn’t dead, and I asked to see her but they didn’t let me”.
What Happened After?
Quickly, after finding Montoya still breathing, relatives rushed her back to the same hospital. Paramedics were called and arrived on the scene.
She was placed in intensive care although relatives said they weren’t being given much information by doctors. Or, for that matter, any indication of prognosis.
After a week under “permanent surveillance”, according to the health ministry, Montoya was declared dead “again”.
She has been moved back to the same funeral home the incident initially occurred in. She will be buried at a public graveyard.
This is not the first time somebody has been declared legally dead and then found breathing again. A 20-year-old woman from Michigan was found still breathing a few years ago.
Ecuador’s health ministry said they are investigating the hospital. As well as this, they confirmed they were looking into the specific behaviour and actions of certain doctors. A technical committee has also been formed to review how death certificates are issued.
There has been no update on the medical investigation since the passing of Montoya. Although, it is all still very early and it is likely that the investigation is ongoing and may even be increased now Montoya has passed.
Hello! I am a third year undergraduate student at the University of York studying English Literature. I am currently editor of my student publication York Vision and I have been working with Trill since 2022.
