Miraculous Incident: Woman Found Breathing at Funeral Home Hours After Being Declared Dead, Sheriff Reveals
In a remarkable turn of events, a 74-year-old woman from Nebraska, who was declared dead, was discovered breathing as she was being prepared on a table at a funeral home. The sheriff's official shared the surprising revelation of this extraordinary incident.
When a woman in a Nebraska nursing home was mistakenly declared dead by staff members, authorities were not immediately called. She was under hospice care, which is often the final stage before death, so the situation did not meet the criteria for a coroner to be contacted, according to a sheriff's official.
However, two hours later, it was discovered that the woman, who some believed had passed away, was actually still alive. An employee at a Lincoln funeral home noticed signs of life in her, proving that she was not deceased after all.
"This is a very unusual case," said Lancaster County sheriff's Chief Deputy Ben Houchin during a news conference on Monday afternoon. "I've been doing this for 31 years and nothing like this has ever gotten to this point before."
According to Houchin, Constance Glantz, 74, was found breathing by funeral home workers who were preparing to handle what they believed to be her body just before midday on Monday.
Staff at The Mulberry nursing home in Waverly, just northeast of Lincoln, had pronounced Glantz dead at 9:44 a.m., Houchin said.
An Iowa Alzheimer's care facility is facing a $10,000 fine after pronouncing a woman dead who was later found alive when a funeral director unzipped her body bag, according to documents from Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals. The 66-year-old woman, who was not identified, was admitted to the Glen Oaks Alzheimer's Special Care Center facility in Urbandale, Iowa on Dec. 20, due to "senile degeneration of the brain," according to the documents, and was admitted into hospice on Dec. 28.
An Iowa Alzheimer's care facility is facing a $10,000 fine for mistakenly declaring a woman dead. The woman, aged 66, was admitted to the Glen Oaks Alzheimer's Special Care Center in Urbandale, Iowa on Dec. 20. She was later found alive by a funeral director who unzipped her body bag, as reported by Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals. The woman, who was not named, was admitted to hospice on Dec. 28 due to "senile degeneration of the brain," according to the documents.
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Glantz was believed to be lifeless when she was transferred from the nursing home to the Lincoln funeral home, Houchin mentioned. While the funeral home staff were preparing her for the next steps, they realized that she was actually breathing, as shared by Houchin.
Upon discovering this, they immediately contacted 911 for assistance, Houchin explained. The Lincoln police and fire and rescue team promptly arrived at the scene. Glantz was then rushed to a nearby hospital where she is currently alive and receiving medical care, Houchin added.
The Lincoln funeral home, known as Butherus-Maser & Love according to CNN affiliate KOLN, called around 11:45 a.m., two hours after Glantz was declared dead, as mentioned by Houchin.
Information regarding Glantz's condition on Monday evening was not yet provided. CNN has reached out to the nursing home in Waverly and the funeral home in Lincoln for comments.
Glantz's family has been notified about the situation, according to Houchin. The sheriff's office has launched an inquiry and has already made a visit to the nursing home in Waverly.
Houchin mentioned, "As of now, we have not discovered any evidence of criminal wrongdoing by the nursing home, but the investigation is still in progress."
Chief Deputy Ben Houchin told reporters that so far no evidence of criminal intent had been found.
Chief Deputy Ben Houchin told reporters that so far no evidence of criminal intent had been found.
KOLN
So, how many people had seen Glantz between her supposed death and the moment she was seen breathing on a funeral home table?
Houchin told reporters that he believed at least two people were typically involved in moving a body. He mentioned that the nursing home and others would likely investigate the situation and review if any new protocols need to be established or if existing ones were properly followed.
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Glantz had been receiving hospice care at the nursing home, the chief deputy said.
Her supposed death did not meet the criteria for a coroner's investigation. Therefore, no coroner or law enforcement officer was dispatched to the nursing home when she was initially believed to have passed away, according to Houchin.
He explained that specific conditions must be met for a death to trigger a coroner's investigation. These include the death being anticipated, a physician having seen the patient within the last seven days and being willing to sign the death certificate, and no suspicious circumstances surrounding the death. Since all these conditions were met in this case, the sheriff's office was not initially called to the nursing home.
Editor's P/S:
This incident highlights the importance of thoroughness and alertness in healthcare settings. The fact that a woman was mistakenly declared dead and remained undiscovered for two hours raises concerns about the level of care and attention provided at the nursing home. It is crucial that medical professionals take all necessary steps to ensure accurate diagnoses and that proper protocols are in place to prevent such errors from occurring.
Furthermore, the article underscores the need for clear communication and coordination among different healthcare providers. The delay in contacting authorities due to the patient receiving hospice care could have contributed to the situation. It is essential that medical facilities have established guidelines and procedures for handling end-of-life care and communicating with external agencies, such as the coroner's office, to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future.
