An investigation has been initiated after a woman from Nebraska, previously declared dead at a nursing home, was discovered alive at a funeral home on Monday, June 3, 2024.
Constance Glantz, 74, was pronounced dead at 9:44 a.m. by the Mulberry nursing home staff in Waverly, northeast of Lincoln, Nebraska. However, she was found to be breathing by Lincoln funeral home staff two hours later.
During a news conference held Monday afternoon, Chief Deputy Ben Houchin of the Lancaster County Sheriff’s office commented, “In my 31 years of service, I have never encountered a case like this before. It is extremely unusual.”
Glantz, who had been receiving hospice care, was transferred from the Mulberry nursing home to Butherus, Maser & Love Funeral Home in Lincoln. As staff prepared to process what they believed to be her remains, one worker noticed signs of life and initiated CPR. “They instantly called 911,” Houchin reported. Responding to the call, Lincoln police and fire and rescue teams rushed Glantz to a local hospital, where she died a few hours later.
The funeral home alerted authorities at approximately 11:45 a.m., around two hours after Glantz had originally been declared dead.
Houchin stated that Glantz’s family has been informed about the situation and that an investigation is underway. “So far, we have not identified any criminal intent by the nursing home, but the investigation is still in progress,” he said.
When asked about the number of people who had seen Glantz between her reported death and her discovery alive, Houchin could not provide a definitive number. He did, however, mention that typically at least two people are involved in body transport. He expressed hope that the nursing home and others involved would thoroughly review the incident, evaluate the need for new protocols, and confirm adherence to current procedures.
Houchin clarified that Glantz’s death did not necessitate a coroner’s investigation. “The death of a patient is anticipated – which this was – and a physician had seen her in the last seven days and was willing to sign the death certificate, and there was nothing suspicious at the time of death. That’s why the sheriff’s office was not initially sent to the nursing home,” he explained.
There have been similar instances of individuals erroneously declared dead. Last year, an Iowa Alzheimer’s care facility was fined $10,000 after a woman was declared dead and later found alive when a funeral director unzipped her body bag. In another case, a woman in Ecuador was found alive in her coffin at her wake hours after being announced dead.