Zelda’s Death
In “Pet Sematary,” we get the character of Zelda, the dead sister of Rachel, the family’s mother. In the novel and the 1989 film, Zelda chokes to death when Rachel is at home alone with her as a child, due to complications of spinal meningitis. In the new movie, Zelda dies in a particularly gruesome scene that involves falling down a dumb waiter. Either way, her sister’s demise sets off Rachel’s tremendous fear of death.