Parents suffer double heartbreak as ‘dead’ eight-month-old baby is rushed to hospital after seeing her hand moving in her coffin during her funeral… only to die as doctors try to save her
- Kiara Crislayne de Moura dos Santos was declared dead twice on October 19
An eight-month-old girl was rushed to hospital after her own funeral after shocked mourners noticed her moving her hand in her coffin, adding to the misery experienced by her heartbroken parents.
Kiara Crislayne de Moura dos Santos was admitted to the Faustino Riscarolli Hospital in Correia Pinto, Brazil’s Santa Catarina state, in the early hours of October 19.
Doctors eventually determined that the girl was not breathing and had no pulse and pronounced her dead shortly after she was admitted.
Just two hours after Kiara was declared dead, funeral director Aureo Arruda Ramos retrieved her body from the morgue and, along with Kiara’s parents, began the grim task of making preparations for Kiara’s funeral later that day.
The funeral began at 7 p.m. that same day, but the service was abruptly halted when an attendee noticed the baby’s hand moving in her open casket.
When a mourner rushed to the coffin and touched the baby’s hand, her fingers reportedly curled, causing a mad dash to get the child essential help in the hope she could be saved.
Kiara Crislayne de Moura dos Santos was admitted to the Faustino Riscarolli Hospital in Correia Pinto, Brazil’s Santa Catarina state, in the early hours of October 19.
Her funeral was abruptly cut short when an attendee noticed the baby’s hand moving in her open casket
Fire crews arrived on scene and found the baby girl still had a heartbeat.
They also found no trace of rigor mortis, which usually stiffens a body between six and eight hours after death.
Her oxygen saturation level was 84 percent – well below the 90 percent threshold, which is considered a serious health problem – and paramedics rushed her back to the hospital.
But by the time Kiara was returned to care, her heart had stopped again and she was declared dead for the second time in less than 24 hours.
Her heartbroken father Cristiano Santos told Brazilian media: ‘We were already devastated. Then there was a little bit of hope, but in the end this happened.”
A tearful father, Cristiano Santos, is pictured talking to Brazilian media
Paramedics are seen at the funeral of the baby who was still alive at her own funeral
The hospital, now facing an investigation by Brazil’s specialized scientific police, admitted that they declared the child had died 16 hours before the funeral.
The same hospital later reconfirmed the death when the child was returned again.
Correia Pinto City Hall later apologized to Kiara’s family and promised a full investigation with a report within 30 days.
A spokesperson said: ‘The Municipality of Correia Pinto reiterates its commitment to providing the best care for all citizens, emphasizing that under no circumstances should a professional issue certificates or declarations without proper authentication of the patient’s condition.
‘In addition, all health professionals are continuously oriented and trained, so that people’s lives and well-being always come first.’
It is currently unclear whether Kiara’s parents plan to take legal action against the hospital.