A 17-year-old girl who was pronounced dead and taken to a mortuary after a mob viciously descended on her for allegedly stealing a bunch of bananas in Apac, Uganda was found breathing just hours before her scheduled post-mortem.

The teenager, a Matimia ward native, was immediately rushed for treatment after doctors at Apac Hospital made the discovery.

She is currently on life support as the institution’s doctors continue monitoring her condition.

"Information was received that she passed on after being beaten by a mob accusing her of theft,” North Kyoga regional police spokesperson, Patrick Jimmy Okema told the Monitor.

“Our officers visited the scene, recorded statements and conveyed her body to the mortuary at the Apac main hospital.”

According to Okema, one person has since been arrested in connection to the mob attack but police are currently conducting investigations to rein in more suspects.

While advising members of the public not to take matters into their own hands, Okema consequently urged persons who participated in the attack to turn themselves in before police catch up to them.