The birth of a baby is supposed to be a time of joy but this was not the case for the Williams family of Santa Cruz.
Instead of celebrating the birth of the baby, the family mourned the death of her mother who collapsed on the floor of the Port-of-Spain General hospital and died on Tuesday.
The death of Sherise Williams, 30, of Lower Santa Cruz, Lacanoa Road, Kingston Avenue, Santa Cruz occurred a day after she underwent a caesarian section.
Her sister Shonise Williams said she was walking to the bathroom unattended when she collapsed.
Even though an autopsy has not been done, Shonise said the hospital’s personnel were claiming that Williams died from a blood clot in her lung.
During an interview with Guardian Media, Shonise said she wanted to know why the nurses did not accompany her sister to the bathroom as she was in a weakened state.
She said Williams had been looking forward to the birth of her only daughter.
Before leaving home last week Wednesday, Williams hugged her five-year-old son and promised him that she will return in ten days.
She said the doctors had advised Williams to check into the hospital early because she had developed prenatal diabetes and had low blood count.
Shonise said on Saturday, Williams went into labour but despite her cries, the nurses left her unattended. They advised her to try for a natural birth.
“Then they told her not to eat or drink because they may have to do surgery. She starved all day. By Sunday she called my mother crying. She said there were no doctors on the ward. She was bleeding. By Monday they did the caesarian and the family was told that all went well.
“I called her at 12 o’clock, video chat and I saw her breastfeeding. I saw her pale. I told mommy she not looking good. She was in pain. She said the nurses supposed to give her something for the pain but she didn’t get anything as yet” Shonise recalled.
Two hours later, Shonise told them the nurses wanted her to walk around as this would defuse the blood clot.
“Mommy tell her she not supposed to be walking around. Then the hospital called us to say we should come in and see her,” Shonise said.
What they saw left them heart-broken.
“When we went hospital we saw a huge bump on her head, blood spraying out of nose, ears, eyes, everywhere blood was spraying out of her because she went to the bathroom and fall down,” Shonise sobbed.
She added, “This is complete negligence. These people stand up and let my sister die right in the hospital. They let my sister go to the bathroom unattended. All you know she bleeding heavily. She had no reason to go to the bathroom alone. They have not done an autopsy and they saying she died from a blood clot,” Shonise said.
Shonise also said the hospital staff misled them into thinking Williams was fine.
“After she fell down they call us but they never tell us she was dead. Why they give us false hope,” Shonise wept.
The sister explained that Williams’ five-year-old son Nehemiah was inconsolable and has been crying nonstop, asking for his mother to come home.
She had promised him that she would return to him after 10 days.
Shonise said a COVID-19 test was done on Wednesday and once the result comes back, an autopsy will be scheduled.
The distraught sister called on Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh to launch an investigation into the death.
“We will do a second autopsy if need be and we will fight for justice,” Shonise added.
She said the baby named Sariyah has been discharged from the hospital and was with her father.
Attempts were made to contact Acting chief executive officer of the Northwest Regional Health Authority Terron Gilchrist and Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh for comment but calls went unanswered and they did not respond to Whatsapp messages.