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A dead boy sat up in his coffin just before his funeral and asked for a glass of water – then lay back down again lifeless.

Kelvin Santos, two, startled grieving relatives only hours after doctors were unable to resuscitate him during treatment for pneumonia.

He apparently smiled, looked round, drank his water then reclined back in his coffin.

Dad Antonio Santos could not wake Kelvin again and carried him to hospital in Belem, northern Brazil. But doctors were mystified as to what happened and confirmed he was indeed dead.

Mr Santos said: “During the wake I held Kelvin and said, ‘son, come back to daddy’.

“And a few hours later my son sat up in the coffin and said, ‘daddy, give me water’.

“Everybody started to scream. We thought a miracle had taken place and our boy had come back to life.

"Then he lay down again and didn’t move again. We couldn’t wake him.”

Kelvin died from pneumonia and respiratory failure in Aberlardo Santos Hospital at 7pm on Friday following a five-day fever.

His family held a wake throughout the night at home and at 3pm the following day, an hour before the funeral, mourners said the lad came to life.

Convinced that his son was a victim of medical malpractice, Mr Santos has now registered a complaint with police.

He said: “Dead people don’t just wake up and talk. I’m determined to find out the truth.”

Police said they are investigating.