Woman, 74, pronounced dead in hospice care found breathing at funeral home

(NEW YORK) — A 74-year-old woman believed to have died while in hospice care was found to be breathing after being transported to a funeral home, authorities in Nebraska said Monday.

The woman had been transported from a nursing home, where she had been declared dead at around 9:44 a.m. local time, to the Butherus-Maser & Love Funeral Home in Lincoln on Monday morning, according to the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office.

Authorities responded to the funeral home after an employee noticed the woman was breathing and “instantly called 911” at approximately 11:44 a.m., according to Lancaster County Chief Deputy Ben Houchin.

Funeral home staff conducted CPR on the woman — identified by authorities as Constance Glantz of Lincoln — and she was transported to a local hospital, where she remains alive, Houchin said. Her family has been notified, he said.

“It’s a very unusual case,” Houchin said during a press briefing on Monday. “Been doing this 31 years and nothing like this has ever gotten to this point before.”

Because this was a case where a death was anticipated and there was nothing suspicious about her supposed death, the nursing home did not have to contact the coroner or local authorities after the woman was declared dead, Houchin said.

The sheriff’s office is investigating and no criminal charges are pending, according to Houchin.

“We have not been able to find any criminal intent by the nursing home but the investigation is ongoing,” Houchin said.

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