A Young California Mother Passes Away Only Moments After Delivering Her Baby

A 27-year-old California mother paid the ultimate price to give her unborn baby a chance at life. Charlene Flores was nearing her baby’s due date and a time she thought would be one of the happiest of her life. When she began to experience pregnancy pains while still weeks before her expected due date, she was rushed to the hospital. It was determined that Flores was suffering from internal bleeding and that the baby would have to be delivered via a emergency C-section to give it the maximum chance of survival.

According to People, Flores’ husband, Elesandro Flores, Jr., was determined to stay at her side throughout the entire procedure. However, she was determined that she would be fine and persuaded him to leave to take their three daughters to school. Shortly after his departure, Elesandro received a call from his wife informing him that her condition was worse than they thought and he would need to return. Although neither of them knew it at the time, this brief phone call would be the last time they’d ever speak.

Although C-sections are quite common, they are not the preferred method of delivery to the variety of health risks they present to the mother. Infections, blood clots, cardiac arrest, and postpartum hemorrhages are all possible concerns during this procedure, not to mention any additional risks to the baby. There were additional risks in Flores’ case due to her having undergone a separate surgery earlier in the year for heart issues.

Flores’ husband told the heartbreaking story of his wife’s ordeal. Upon returning to the hospital he had been told that his infant daughter had survived the procedure and was in an incubator while his wife was sleeping. He hadn’t even been able to lay eyes on her yet when he heard someone call a code blue.

“And then [I] heard code blue. This lady comes to our door area and says, ‘We need you, doctor,’ and the doctor rushes back there. And then 20 minutes later the rest of the doctors and nurses flow in the room and tell me that my wife didn’t make it but my daughter’s in an incubator getting her treatment,” Elesandro Flores said.

The couple’s child, Quinn Nevaeh Flores, remains in the NICU while the rest of the Flores family tries to wrap their heads around that tragedy that happened so quickly. Hundreds of donors have contributed to a GoFundMe page set up to help the grieving family.