The Malta Independent 14 October 2026, Wednesday
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Watch: Teen wakes up in coffin at her own funeral in Guatemala, shocking mourners

Wednesday, 14 October 2026, 11:32 Last update: about 45 minutes ago

A viral video from Guatemala shows the shocking moment a 15-year-old girl, believed to be dead, woke up inside her coffin during her own funeral.

The teen, Yuleidy Ixcotoyac, fainted from severe chest pain while being driven to a medical centre by her father, Abraham. Finding no pulse or breathing, her father - an evangelical pastor - declared her dead on the spot without taking her to a hospital or receiving a medical confirmation and official death certificate.

Following local customs of swift burials, the family purchased a casket and arranged a wake at their rural home in El Jocote just eight hours later.

As mourners gathered around the casket, Yuleidy's weeping mother, Lesvia Ríos, noticed movement through the viewing window. Moments later, the teenager suddenly sat up and began speaking to her astonished family.

Loved ones helped the shaken girl out of the coffin, offered her water, and celebrated her survival.

Yuleidy, who remembers feeling heavy chest pain before blacking out, is now recovering at home and expressed gratitude to God for being alive. While many on social media labelled her survival a miracle, others noted the deeply traumatising nature of the ordeal.


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