The unintentional live burial of people thought to be dead occurs more frequently than one may realize. As late as the 1890s, various documents show people being sent to the morgue or placed in steel boxes who were mistakenly declared dead. It was not uncommon for a corpse to be revived due to a dropped coffin or an undertaker's attempted dissection. Safety coffins became popular and many life-saving devices were awarded patents. One such device was a pipe-like contraption that could be pushed through the coffin, to the surface, allowing the trapped victim fresh air and attracting the attention of anyone walking by. Unfortunately, burying a live corpse still occurs today. In 2011, a man from South Africa screamed out for help from a refrigerated drawer in the morgue. Also in 2011, in Brazil, a woman went to the morgue to identify the body of her mother. The daughter hugged the body to say one last goodbye and felt her mother still breathing. In Argentina in 2012, the parents of a stillborn baby girl went to the morgue to see their child for the first time. When the father pried open the lid of the coffin, the baby cried out. Her parents named her Luz Milagros, which means 'Miracle's Light.'

You need to login or register to write reviews. It's quick! We only ask four questions to new members.