World Woman declared dead knocks on coffin during her own wake in Ecuador: "It gave us all a fright" - UPDATED!

[The Helper]

A 76-year-old woman who was declared dead at a hospital in Ecuador astonished her relatives by knocking on her coffin during her wake, and the incident has prompted a government investigation into the hospital.

Relatives left the coffin behind and rushed retired nurse Bella Montoya back to the hospital after the wake Friday in the central city of Babahoyo, son Gilberto Barbera told The Associated Press.

"It gave us all a fright," Barbera said, adding that doctors have said his mother's situation remains dire.

Ecuador's Health Ministry said that Montoya was in intensive care Monday at the Martín Icaza Hospital in Babahoyo while the ministry investigates doctors involved in her case. A technical committee has been formed to review how the hospital issues death certificates, the ministry said in a statement.

Woman declared dead knocks on coffin during her own wake in Ecuador: "It gave us all a fright"

Media reported the unusual incident, with headlines celebrating the woman's "resurrection," but doctors said her condition remains dire.

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[The Helper]

Woman who revived and knocked on coffin at her own funeral in Ecuador has now died

An Ecuadorian woman who regained consciousness at her own funeral has now died after spending a week in intensive care, the country’s health ministry said over the weekend.

Relatives of retired nurse Bella Montoya were shocked to hear noises coming from her coffin earlier this month after she was declared dead following a suspected stroke. She was rushed straight back to the hospital in Ecuador's central city of Babahoyo, where officials described her condition as “unstable” and her family said doctors hadn’t given them much hope of a recovery.

Late Friday, the Ecuadorian health ministry said in a statement that Montoya, 76, had died, giving her cause of death as a stroke. It said she had been under constant monitoring while in the ICU.

Her son told The Associated Press that she will be buried at a public cemetery. Her remains are now back at the same funeral home where she woke up.

Woman who revived and knocked on coffin at her own funeral has now died

Bella Montoya shocked relatives by waking up at her own funeral about a week ago, having been declared dead after a suspected stroke.

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