Official: Girl who 'reanimated' at own funeral really dead

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines - A health official in the town of Aurora, Zamboanga del Sur confirmed a 3-year old girl was dead and had not come to life contrary to the belief of the family, a police official said on Tuesday.

Senior Inspector Heidil Teelan, Aurora Police chief, said a municipal health officer made the confirmation about 10 a.m. Monday after personally conducting medical examination on the young girl at their house in Barangay Romarate.

Efforts to reach the medical official for their medical findings turned futile. However, the police said the medical official of the town reported the girl had succumbed to pneumonia and died when she was rushed to the town’s clinic for medical attention.

The death of the girl initially created a stir from among the residents when the she allegedly came to life again when her head moved on Sunday while mourners opened her wooden coffin to fix her remains in preparation for funeral service inside the church.

The parents removed the remains out of the coffin and brought the girl back to the clinic for check-up but were told that the girl had no pulse and already clinically dead. That prompted the family to bring her back to their house and seek further medical examination from another physician.

“The municipal health officer formally conducted the examination right at the house of the young girl and confirmed (her death) as of 10 a.m. Monday,” Teelan said. 

He said there was no information from the medical official if the girl had really came to life again.

Teelan said he also went to the family of the victim who was preparing for her burial Tuesday.

“The family was really sad about the death of the young girl and the neighborhood was also baffled of the story,” the police added.