The Daily Populous Tuesday June 4th, 2024 day edition
Authored by abcnews.go.com and submitted by halxp01

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.

Lancaster County Sheriff Chief Deputy Ben Houchin during a press briefing in Lincoln, Nebraska, June 3, 2024. Lancaster County Sheriff's Office

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.

MilkTostitos on June 4th, 2024 at 06:19 UTC »

I've pronounced death in hospitals, home hospice, and long-term care facilities. This is my nightmare.

dudeonrails on June 4th, 2024 at 03:26 UTC »

Dude 1:You said she was dead.

Dude 2:She got better.

Suspicious-Pasta-Bro on June 4th, 2024 at 02:09 UTC »

This case is very sad. It looks like this was an anticipated death and the nursing home jumped the gun and declared her dead when she was going to die soon anyway. Then they administered CPR when they found her breathing and brought her to the hospital, extending her life but possibly suffering.

I really hope she gets some time conscious with her family out of this whole thing because otherwise they broke her chest and filled her with adrenaline for no reason.