Ecuadorian woman who knocked on coffin at her own funeral has died

An Ecuadorian woman who surprised relatives by knocking on her coffin during her funeral has died.

Bella Montoya, 76, died on Friday evening from an ischemic stroke, according to Ecuador's health ministry.

Ms Montoya had remained under "permanent surveillance" since she was removed from her coffin during her funeral.

Her son, Gilberto Barbera Montoya said that his family had yet to receive an explanation as to what led to his mother wrongly being declared dead earlier in June.

He said that things "are not going to stay like this", adding that his mother's sister had formally complained about the incident.

In June, Ms Montoya was declared dead after a possible stroke and cardiopulmonary arrest. She did not respond to resuscitation.

The 20 guests at her funeral on June 9 were shocked when they heard Ms Montoya knocking on her coffin.

She had spent five hours inside her coffin at a funeral home in Babahoyo, around 129 miles southwest of Ecuador's capital, Quito.

Ms Montoya's body has been returned to the same funeral home where she woke up.

A technical committee has been formed to review how the hospital issues death certificates, the country's ministry of health said last week.

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