ALDINGTON, ENGLAND - APRIL 20: The coffin is carried into the church at the Funeral of Paul O'Grady on April 20, 2023 in Aldington, England. (Photo by GC Images/GC Images)
A memorial service quickly became an emergency when a deceased woman, 76, knocked on her coffin. According to a report by the Associated Press, a local hospital in Ecuador had declared Bella Montoya dead. Now, government officials are investigating to gain answers about how this happened.
Video obtained by news outlets shows, including ABC7, shows emergency personnel removing the woman from the brown coffin into an ambulance. Several people stood inside the funeral home where the memorial service was held and outside surrounding the medical vehicle.
Her son, Gilberto Barbera, explained to the press how they discovered his mother was still alive. However, it’s unclear if the coffin was open or closed when Bella started making noises.
“There were about 20 of us there. 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,” Gilberto said.
Three people joined the woman in the ambulance. The video identifies one of them as the affected’s son. This went down last Friday (June 9) in Babahoyo, Ecuador.
Bella was taken to Martín Icaza Hospital on June 9 for stroke and cardiopulmonary arrest symptoms. Her son says she was unconscious when the hospital admitted her.
An unidentified doctor on duty reportedly made resuscitation efforts but ultimately decided to call Bella’s death when she “did not respond.” A doctor later turned over Bella’s identity documents and a death certificate to the son. It’s unclear if the doctor who delivered the news is the same one who declared it.
However, Ecuador’s Health Ministry is investigating the medical staff involved in Bella’s care on Friday. A statement obtained by AP says a technical committee is also reviewing the hospital’s process for death certificates.
Meanwhile, Bella was reportedly in the intensive care unit as of Monday. However, her condition appears to be serious. Her son, Barbera, tells AP there’s little hope for a positive outcome.
This is a developing story.
