Elderly woman found breathing at Miller Place Funeral Home hours after pronounced dead at Port Jefferson nursing home, police say

PORT JEFFERSON, Long Island — A New York City funeral home was shocked Saturday after an elderly woman pronounced dead was found alive.

Police say an 82-year-old woman has been pronounced dead at a Port Jefferson rehabilitation and care center.

A little over two hours later, she was transported to a funeral home in Miller Place. About half an hour later, police said the woman was found breathing.

Rescue workers took her to a local hospital after the incident.

Officials say it’s unclear if human error played a role or if it was a miraculous recovery. The incident is being referred to the New York State Attorney’s Office.

News of this came after a similar incident in Iowa. Hospice workers mistakenly pronounced a woman dead only for her to gasp in the body bag that arrived at the funeral home.