By Our Reporter
WORLD NEWS
Mourners at the funeral of an elderly Ecuadorean woman were startled to discover she was still alive.
Bella Montoya, 76, was declared dead last week following a suspected stroke.
Five hours into her wake on Friday, relatives preparing to change her clothes ahead of the burial found her gasping for air.
Ms Montoya is now back in hospital in intensive care, and Ecuador’s health ministry has set up a committee to investigate the incident.
In a statement, the ministry said that the woman went into cardiorespiratory arrest – a loss of breathing and heart function – and did not respond to resuscitation attempts.
Sources also say the old woman developed catalepsy due to the stroke, a situation that can mimic death due to slower breathing and body stiffness.
The doctor on duty confirmed her death.
She is now back in hospital in intensive care, and the health ministry has set up a committee to investigate the incident.
