California mother, 33, dies from Covid complications before she could hold her newborn daughter after they were separated to protect the baby from coronavirus
A California mother died from Covid-19 complications before she could hold her newborn daughter after they were separated straight after the birth to protect the baby.
Vanessa Cardenas Gonzalez, 33, from Whittier, California, tested positive for the virus while pregnant with her daughter.
Gonzalez, who had previously given birth to two sons, contracted the virus in the late stages of her pregnancy in November.
Vanessa Cardenas Gonzalez, 33, from Whittier, California, tested positive for the virus while pregnant with her daughter
Gonzalez gave birth to Heaven, pictured above, on November 9 and the pair were immediately required to separate to avoid transmission of the virus
She gave birth to Heaven on November 9 and the pair were immediately separated as a precaution to prevent the baby from contracting coronavirus,
The mother and daughter were released from hospital after both of them were deemed well enough to go home.
Gonzalez was given instructions to self-isolate at home, with her husband of 13 years Alfonso fearing that the virus could be passed to the newborn.
'That can't happen,' he told his wife at the time, according to Fox Television Stations.
'I'm sorry but you know the baby needs to be separated right now.
'We need to take precautions.'
Husband Alfonso, pictured above, said his wife had felt shattered because she wasn't allowed to hold her newborn baby and had to settle with seeing her on FaceTime instead
He added that his wife had been broken and shattered because she couldn't hold the baby and had to settle for seeing her on FaceTime instead.
Gonzalez's condition took a turn for the worse within 48 hours of giving birth when she suffered a heart attack and was readmitted to hospital on November 11.
The mother-of-three spent a month fighting for her life in hospital before passing away on December 14.
Devastated Alfonso said he plans to keep his wife's personal things to hand down to his daughter when she gets older. 'I'll tell her that was my rib. That was my other half,' he said.
Speaking to USA Today, Alfonso said that his daughter's name was prophetic of what happened to her mother.
Gonzalez was never able to hold her daughter, Heaven, after she suffered medical complications less than 48 hours after being released from hospital
'Mum was about to go to heaven,' he said.
Family friend Desiree Vera set up a GoFundMe page to help cover the cost of a funeral service.
The page has so far raised $42,558, exceeding its target of $10,000.
The page reads: 'To all our friends, family and church family, it is with a broken heart that we announce the passing of a wife, loving mother, daughter and friend Vanessa Cardenas Gonzalez.
Vanessa's husband Alfonso and children sent best wishes to Gonzalez while she battled Covid-19 in hospital
'Vanessa tested positive for COVID-19 a few days before she gave birth to a beautiful baby girl Heaven Leigh Gonzales.
'She was not able to hold her or have any contact with her 1st baby girl (whom she was very excited to meet).
'She was sent home and given instructions to quarantine from the baby and her family only to see her baby on FaceTime.
'The next morning Vanessa was rushed to the hospital where she suffered a heart attack causing brain injury. She spent her last days on a ventilator at UCLA.'