[DCBryan1]

Although the patient has a dead brain and dead brain stem, there may be spinal cord reflexes that can be elicited (a knee jerk, for example). In some brain dead patients, when the hand or foot is touched in a particular manner, the touch will elicit a short reflex movement.”

It is called the Lazarus effect or sign.

[exDemMom]

Goodness, that Lazarus effect sounds creepy. As if being near a dead person wasn’t creepy enough!

I can certainly see how such reflexes could fool people who are desperately looking for signs of life.

Having grown up on a farm, I have witnessed very strong reflex movements in decapitated chickens. I’ll bet none of this family have ever seen this happen.