A woman in Arizona died just hours after giving birth to quadruplets, family members told the Associated Press and other news outlets.
Erica Morales, 36, gave birth to three girls and a boy on Thursday by cesarean section at Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center in Phoenix. But something went wrong and Morales died a few hours later early Friday morning, said Nicole Todman, Morales' cousin.
"She never got to hold them, she never got to see them," Todman told KSAZ-TV.
Morales was seven months pregnant when she arrived at the medical center to be treated for high blood pressure, the AP reported. She experienced complications and was prepped for the C-section, giving birth to premature quadruplets weighing between two and three pounds.
According to Todman, the mother was still unconscious when she was transported after the surgery to another room. But it was not immediately clear what caused her death.
A hospital spokeswoman declined to give the AP comment.
"Our heartfelt thoughts and condolences are with the family during this very difficult time," Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center said in a statement.
The road for Morales and her husband Carlos Morales to start a family was rocky. After two years of trying to conceive, including fertility treatments and acupuncture, Erica became pregnant. But she suffered a miscarriage, Todman said.
"This is all they wanted, to have this family, to make their family complete," Christina Todman, another cousin of Erica, told KSAZ. "It's like that fairytale story."
With the help of a doctor, Erica became pregnant with quadruplets, the station reported. Her only focus was to make sure the babies would be delivered healthy, her family said.
The newborns, named Carlos Jr., Paisley, Tracy and Erica, are expected to remain hospitalized for the next two months so they can weigh enough to be discharged, the AP reported.
The grieving family vowed to help Carlos Sr. raise his children. A GoFundMe page was set up for donations and has raised more than $22,300 as of Saturday evening.
"It is so hard to know she fought so hard for her children," Nicole Todman told KSAZ. "She will never get to brush their hair, hold their hand, watch them get married, none of that will ever happen for her."
