A young family lost their apparently healthy newborn daughter shortly after she began showing a worrying symptom just days before Christmas.
Marisha Smith, 19, and Riley Raynor, 21, welcomed their daughter Nova on December 18 after a planned C-section at Mount Gambier and Districts Health Service in rural South Australia.
Nova’s heartbroken grandmother, Danni Smith, recalled that she was born “healthy, pink and beautiful” with an Apgar score of 9.9 out of 10.
“That night they went to sleep and the nurses came in to do their check and then Marish looked down and saw the baby’s lips were blue,” Ms Smith told the Adelaide Advertiser.
“She panicked and ran out and said, ‘There’s something wrong with my daughter,’ and there would have been a team of 15 midwives and pediatricians working on her for over an hour.”
Nova’s pulse was lost three times before her death was announced at 2:45 a.m. on December 19.
Ms Smith said the young parents, who have another daughter, Malayah, were “beside themselves” with grief.
‘They were hoping to bring baby Nova home from the hospital, they already had the whole house ready. “For all of this to happen the week before Christmas, we had to put on a brave face for the other kids,” he said.
Marisha Smith, 19, and Riley Raynor, 21, welcomed their daughter Nova on December 18 (pictured, Mr. Raynor with Nova and the couple’s eldest daughter, Malayah).
Nova (pictured) appeared to be healthy at birth, but died hours after her mother noticed her lips turning blue.
Nova’s “little heart and brain” have been sent for abnormality checks while doctors try to find the cause of her death.
Both Mrs Smith’s daughter and her partner were left “heartbroken and devastated” and Mr Raynow, who works in a crayfish processing factory, is unable to return to work.
“Family friends gave them a beautiful bear with angel wings and Nova’s footprints and he has been sleeping with it every night, he is absolutely heartbroken, as is his mother,” Ms Smith said.
She has created a GoFundMe to help the couple cover funeral costs and alleviate some of the financial pressure they face amid their grief.
“During this incredibly challenging time, parents are struggling to cope emotionally,” Ms Smith wrote on the page.
‘The sudden nature of Nova’s passing has left us all unprepared and the costs associated with the funeral have added to our burden.
“Parents are currently overwhelmed with grief and are not ready to return to work, making it an extremely difficult time.”
Nova’s ‘little heart and brain’ have been sent for abnormality checks as doctors try to find the cause of her death (pictured Nova’s mother, father and older sister)
More than 50 donors have already raised more than $3,000 for the young family, including an anonymous donation of $1,500.
“We are deeply grateful for your kindness, compassion and generosity during this heartbreaking time,” Ms. Smith wrote.
‘Your support will help us create a lasting tribute to Nova and give us the comfort of knowing that our community supports us in our grief.
‘Thank you for being a source of strength and hope.’