3-Year-Old Girl Wakes Up At Her Own Funeral, What Happens Next Is Heartbreaking
Note: we are republishing this story which originally made the news in August 2022.
A heart-wrenching incident at the Salinas de Hidalgo Basic Community Hospital in Mexico has left a family devastated and demanding answers. Three-year-old Camila Roxana Martinez Mendoza was mistakenly declared dead by doctors before she miraculously woke up during her own funeral.
The unfortunate saga began when Camila started experiencing stomach pains, vomiting, and fever. Concerned mother, Mary Jane Mendoza, took her to a pediatrician in their hometown, Villa de Ramos, seeking medical help on August 17.
The pediatrician, noting the seriousness of the situation, advised that the child be taken to a hospital in the central Mexican state of San Luis Potosí for treatment of dehydration. Tragically, this is where the series of errors began.
At the Salinas de Hidalgo Basic Community Hospital, doctors attempted to address Camila’s dehydration by lowering her body temperature with a cold towel and monitoring her oxygen levels using a pulse oximeter. Later, she was discharged with a prescription for paracetamol to alleviate her symptoms.
However, Camila’s condition only worsened as the day wore on. Her concerned parents sought additional medical advice, leading them to another doctor who recommended immediate emergency room care.
Around 9 to 10 p.m., Camila was readmitted to Salinas hospital, where medical staff attempted to provide intravenous therapy and oxygen support. The situation became increasingly dire as Camila’s health continued to decline.
After around 10 minutes of IV insertion, the staff removed the IV and moved the little girl to a separate room, urging her mother to let her rest in peace. Distraught and confused, Mary Jane Mendoza found herself locked out of the room where her daughter lay. Tragically, it was later pronounced that Camila had succumbed to dehydration.
The following day, during the funeral viewing, something astonishing happened. Camila’s mother noticed the glass window of the coffin fogging up and believed she saw her daughter’s eyes moving. Although initially dissuaded from opening the coffin, the child’s paternal grandmother took a closer look and, to everyone’s shock, discovered that Camila had a pulse.
Quickly, Camila was rushed back to the hospital, where doctors tried to revive her, but to no avail. Tragically, she was declared dead again, this time due to a cerebral edema.
Heartbroken, Mary Jane Mendoza recalls her daughter as a happy and beloved child, cherished by all who knew her. The family had been eagerly preparing for Camila’s first day of kindergarten, but their joy turned into an unimaginable nightmare.
The case is now under investigation by San Luis Potosí State Attorney General Jose Luis Ruiz, who has confirmed that an autopsy is underway. The grieving mother is seeking justice and accountability for the negligence that led to her daughter’s untimely demise. She calls for changes in hospital staff to prevent such tragic errors from recurring in the future.
