Woman declared dead by coroner wakes up inside her funeral coffin

It might sound like a scene straight out of a horror film, but it’s real life for someone. An elderly woman in the Czech Republic woke up one day to find herself confined in a coffin.

In an alarming twist that has captured global attention, this shocking near-burial unfolded in Pilsen when the 88-year-old pensioner seemingly returned from the dead moments before her funeral.

Czech Republic pensioner wakes up in a coffin

In an astonishing event that has stunned the city of Pilsen, an 88-year-old woman nearly became the tragic victim of a catastrophic mistake.

The pensioner was initially discovered by her 87-year-old husband, who believed her to be lifeless due to her motionless state. Panicked, he called emergency services, who swiftly dispatched a coroner.

Her husband told Nedělní Blesk:

She wasn’t moving, she wasn’t breathing.

The attending coroner confirmed her death on the spot, leaving funeral services to prepare for what should have been a solemn farewell.

However, reality took a horrifying turn when funeral home staff placed the elderly woman in her coffin, only to find her very much alive.

Reports are somewhat unclear, though. Some say she dramatically opened her eyes inside the coffin, while others suggest funeral staff simply noticed her breathing. Regardless, her revival was undeniably alarming.

The elderly woman was promptly rushed to the hospital, where she continues to recover. Her husband was understandably shaken and voiced profound distress over the ordeal. He said:

The [funeral services] workers put her in a coffin, and when they were right here, they found out that she was alive. It’s serious. I’m completely unhappy about it.

Local police have opened an investigation into potential negligence by the coroner. Notably, the funeral services firm publicly apologised, admitting it wasn't their first case of mistakenly pronounced deaths.

Ecuadorian woman’s terrifying coffin awakening

This story is just one of the many ‘returning from the dead’ cases. An equally hair-raising incident emerged from Ecuador involving 76-year-old Bella Montoya.

On June 9, 2023, Montoya was pronounced dead after suffering a suspected cardiorespiratory arrest at a hospital in Babahoyo. Astonishingly, Montoya regained consciousness after spending about five chilling hours trapped inside a coffin at her own wake.

Her stunned family members, who initially gathered to mourn, instead became frantic rescuers when they heard knocking from within the coffin.

In footage capturing the dramatic rescue, Montoya was seen gasping desperately for air as her relatives and medics pulled her from what could have been her final resting place. She was immediately rushed back to the hospital, where she remained under intensive surveillance.

Tragically, despite this second chance, Montoya died a week later from an ischemic stroke. Her son, Gilbert Barbera, emotionally confirmed her passing to local media, poignantly stating:

This time my mother really did die. My life will not be the same.

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Sources used:

Metro News: Woman wakes up inside her own coffin after coroner declared her dead

NY Post: Dead woman found alive inside coffin at wake has died one week later