Authorities have confirmed the unfortunate passing of an elderly Ecuadoran woman who, after awakening inside a coffin during her own wake, has now passed away. A video that went viral on social media depicted Bella Montoya, aged 76, visibly breathing heavily in her open casket, with two men providing assistance.

According to her son, Gilbert Barbera, while her loved ones mourned her, Bella Montoya had been frantically banging on the interior of the casket in an attempt to escape. She had been mistakenly pronounced dead on June 9.

Following the distressing incident at the wake, Montoya was subsequently hospitalized in the town of Babahoyo.

The regional health department confirmed that she passed away from a stroke.

Barbera, quoted by the newspaper El Universo, expressed his grief, saying, "This time, my mother has truly left us. My life will never be the same."

Following the erroneous declaration of her death, the Health Ministry has initiated an investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.

According to local news reports, Montoya was reported to have been experiencing a condition known as catalepsy, characterized by a loss of sensation, consciousness, and rigidness of the body.