Mellodie-Ocean Jarman, 19, had complained about feeling faint and dizzy on her way to a routine pregnancy scan on January 31. At her scan, a doctor told Mellodie she was ‘low on iron’ after she complained of her symptoms.
Family members say she was sent home with medication and antibiotics. Back at home in Atherton, Greater Manchester, the next day, Mellodie began to complain she was having difficulties breathing and struggling to see. Mellodie was rushed to the Royal Bolton Hospital 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 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 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.”
Devastated 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 with a GoFundMe page set up. Steven said on the page about the death of the mum and child: “After what felt like an eternity of anguish, we were given the gut-wrenching gift of placing Mellodie’s daughter in her arms as the machines fell silent.
“Together, they fell into an eternal sleep, bound by an unbreakable bond of love that transcends all. The pain we are enduring is unfathomable. Daniel and Mellodie’s family find themselves unprepared, navigating this unimaginable loss while trying to comprehend what lies ahead.”
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 setup 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 neo-natal 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.”