The recent event in Paraguay, South America, is being called by many a miraculous resurrection. A newborn girl, initially declared dead by doctors, surprised everyone when she showed signs of life just before her funeral rites.
The incident occurred last Friday at the Ciudad del Este regional hospital, where a 32-week pregnant woman was admitted due to breathing difficulties.
Concerned about the baby’s well-being amid the lack of oxygen, doctors recommended an emergency caesarean section to give the premature infant a fighting chance.
Although the operation was successful, the newborn showed no signs of life: no breathing, movement or heartbeat. Despite attempts to revive her, she was declared dead and her body was handed over to her father, Ignacio Medina Vega, for burial.
Preparations for the funeral were underway: a small white coffin was purchased and the baby was placed in it at least four hours before the service.
When the priest arrived to sprinkle holy water over the body, an uncle approached the coffin and saw the apparently lifeless baby’s head moving.
Upon closer inspection it became clear that she was breathing, with a faint heartbeat. This astonishing discovery led to her immediate return to the hospital for further evaluation.
The baby, who weighed just 600 grams, was placed in an incubator in intensive care, where she continues to defy the odds. Her father, overcome with gratitude, expressed the terrifying realization that they could have buried her alive.
In tribute to this extraordinary event, her parents plan to name her Milagros de Jesus, which means “Miracle of Jesus.”
Doctors are still giving a “cautious prognosis” for her condition and are trying to understand under what circumstances the child was declared dead and whether all standard procedures for her case have been carried out.
Hospital spokesman Federico Schrodel told reporters that they are not ruling out the possibility of catalepsy, a condition characterized by a lack of response to external stimuli, loss of consciousness and immobility of the body.
“What could have happened to her as a result of the prematurity is that she had virtually no signs of life left,” he added.
