Teen mum and newborn baby die within hours of each other after mum ‘felt dizzy’

A heavily pregnant teenage mum and her newborn baby tragically died just hours apart – a day after she was sent home from a pregnancy scan with some antibiotics.

Mellodie-Ocean Jarman, 19, from Atherton in Manchester, complained about feeling faint and dizzy on her way to a routine scan on Friday, January 31.

During the appointment, a doctor told Mellodie she was ‘low on iron’ after she complained of her symptoms and was sent home with medication and antibiotics.

But the following day, Mellodie began to complain she was having difficulties breathing and struggling to see.

She was rushed to the Royal Bolton Hospital and soon lost consciousness as paramedics desperately tried to revive her by performing CPR.

After they arrived at the hospital, an emergency C-section was performed and Mellodie gave birth to baby Athena-Pearl seven weeks early, in the early hours of Sunday, February 2.

Tragically Mellodie died around an hour after the operation and the family were told baby Athena-Pearl wasn’t going to make it.

She leaves behind her 18-year-old partner, Daniel Darbyshire, and grieving mother Justine Ryan, aged 52.

Heartbroken uncle Steven Darby, 32, said: ‘We got a phone call at around four o’clock to say the baby was deteriorating so we need to make our way back.

‘We made our way back up to the suite and we proceeded to speak to the priest and have a baptism.

‘Then it was planned for Athena to be placed on a portable machine so she can walk down and transfer to the mortuary, where she was placed in Mellodie’s arms and her life support was switched off.’

Heartbroken partner Daniel then pushed Athena-Pearl in a pushchair back up to the neonatal ward to spend some more time with her. She finally passed away at just before 6.30pm.

Steven added: ‘He doesn’t know what to do with himself, which is understandable in these situations – he’s lost everything.

‘Everything he’s planned, everything he’s wanted to do seems worse at the minute. We’re supporting him the best we can.’

Now, the family faces having to pay steep funeral costs.

Mellodie’s mum Justine said: ‘Mellodie was a sassy, upfront person who always said it how it is.

‘She knew what she wanted in life and always found the banter and funny side in things. She was a real character.’

Steven added: ‘At the moment, we don’t know anything until an investigation determines the full extent of what happened.

‘She was a healthy 19-year-old with no health complications, so we just can’t comprehend what has happened.

‘Now we are having to go to funeral directors and sort out funeral costs, which is quite a daunting experience in itself, so I wanted to set up a fundraiser so the family do not have to worry about any of these costs.

‘It was deeply traumatic [in hospital] but the doctors and neonatal team were absolutely fantastic, and they all tried their absolute best to save the baby.

‘You could tell that it was traumatic for them too, but they did all they could to support us.’

Anyone who wishes to donate to the fundraiser can do so here.

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