Woman regained consciousness but ultimately died two days later; medical experts raise possibility of suspended animation

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A woman in her 70s in China was placed in a coffin after being presumed dead — only to regain consciousness. She ultimately died two days later.

According to a recent report by the South China Morning Post, the woman, a resident of Hebei Province, had suffered from cerebral thrombosis for decades and was also battling cancer. When doctors determined that further treatment was no longer viable, her family brought her home to spend her final days.

On Sept. 8, family members detected no clear signs of life and placed her in a refrigerated coffin to preserve her body until relatives living elsewhere could return to pay their last respects.

The following evening, the woman's daughter-in-law heard a faint "murmuring" sound coming from inside the coffin. The startled family immediately lifted her out. By the time other relatives arrived on Sept. 11, she had regained enough consciousness to open her eyes — though she remained in critical condition and was unable to eat or drink. She died again that night, and her funeral was held Sept. 13 with family members in attendance.

The story came to light after a family member posted about it online. When some readers questioned its authenticity, the poster rebuffed the skeptics, saying, "Who would make up something like this about their own family?" Some local residents also said they had heard the story circulating in the village. A village official said the family had used only the coffin's refrigeration function — not its rapid-freezing setting — which may have allowed the woman, whose bodily functions had slowed to an extreme degree, to show signs of life again.

Medical professionals raised the possibility that she had been in a state of suspended animation — a condition in which vital signs such as breathing and heartbeat become so faint they are in effect undetectable, with metabolism slowing dramatically and the body falling into a deep coma-like state, according to the Chinese health publication Health Times. For this reason, doctors typically apply strict criteria before declaring death, continuing resuscitation efforts even in the absence of obvious vital signs until certain thresholds are met.

The incident also drew attention on Chinese social media. "An experience like this — coming back to life in such a way — must have been agonizing for her," one user wrote. "I hope she can now rest in peace."

Another user said the family should have first obtained an official death certificate from a hospital. A third commenter, reflecting on traditional funeral customs, wrote with a note of sadness: "In the old days, when someone passed away, the family would keep vigil at home for about three days. Nowadays everything moves so fast — sometimes people are cremated almost immediately after being declared dead."


mokiya@heraldcorp.com