A "fit and healthy" pregnant first-time mum died just hours before her newborn baby due to a blood clot in her lungs, it has emerged today. Mellodie-Ocean Jarman, 19, had complained about feeling faint and dizzy on her way to a 4D pregnancy scan on January 31. But she instead went to hospital, where a doctor told Mellodie she was ‘low on iron’ after she complained of her symptoms. Family members say she was sent home from the hospital with medication and antibiotics.
But 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 mother and baby arrived at the hospital, an emergency C-section was performed and Mellodie gave birth to baby Athena-Pearl seven weeks early on February 2. But tragically, Mellodie died around an hour after the operation before the family were told baby Athena-Pearl wasn’t going to make it.
According to a pathologist's report provided to the family, Mellodie died of pulmonary embolism, deep vein thrombosis and third trimester pregnancy. Her daughter, who was due in seven weeks, passed away from severe hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy with multiorgan dysfunction, prematurity, and maternal cardiac arrest. In a statement, the family thanked medical staff at the Royal Bolton Hospital for their efforts in trying to save both Mellodie and Athena’s lives. They said: “We would like to express our gratitude to the team at Bolton from the emergency department for working so very hard to save Mellodie, and to the neonatal unit and all the team on shift that Saturday night and Sunday for trying to save Athena.
“Your love, caring, and kind support were very much needed, and you made every effort to make us feel safe. The team at the mortuary and our bereavement key worker have been so understanding and caring toward the whole family. "It was paramount to see that this event has touched everyone involved, and as much as we are struggling to come to terms with this whole situation, we can see that all involved are very much affected. So, from the bottom of my heart, we would like to say thank you for being kind and caring at a moment in life that is really needed.”.
Grief-stricken partner and new father Daniel Darbyshire, 18, has been left ‘lost and heartbroken’ by his partner and daughter’s deaths. He said: “We were both excited to become partners and had our whole lives to look forward to. I haven’t just lost my partner and daughter. I have lost my world, my dreams, and my safety blanket.”. Mellodie’s mother, Justine Ryan, 52, said: “She was my world and was blessing me with my first granddaughter. She was funny and beautiful and would absolutely speak her mind.”.
