Mother reveals her 18-year-old daughter’s unborn baby was sewn back inside her before burial
Heartbroken gran-to-be tells tells the full harrowing story of tragic Scarlett and Rocco
A GRIEVING mum has told how her pregnant 18-year-old daughter, who died of a blood clot along with her unborn son, was buried with her baby sewn back inside her as it would have been her dying wish.
Gayle De-Lacey, 36, who just a year and a half earlier had lost her dad to a heart attack and was diagnosed with cervical cancer, said her beautiful daughter Scarlett was so excited to become a mum.
But five-and-a-half months into her pregnancy she suddenly collapsed and was rushed to hospital after suffering deep-vein thrombosis which caused a blood clot in her leg.
Doctors were unable to save Scarlett or her unborn baby Rocco, and after delivering him by caesarean, sewed him back inside his mum for burial.
Gayle, from Newport, Wales, explained: “Rocco was too young, legally, to require a separate burial and I was asked if I’d like him put back inside Scarlett.
“I knew that was what she would have wanted, so they’d be together forever. Her baby was back where he belonged.”
Scarlett discovered she was pregnant to boyfriend Sam Moulder while studying at university in Birmingham and called her mum with the exciting news.
Gayle explained: “She burst out, ‘Mum, I’m pregnant, I’m coming home. This baby is all I want!”
The mum-of-three had fallen pregnant with Scarlett at 17 and felt like history was repeating itself.
But the happy news was welcome, as the family had been through a difficult time.
On Gayle’s 35th birthday she lost her dad when dropped dead of a heart attack at 54, and two months later, in September 2014, she discovered she had cervical cancer.
She recalled: “Scarlett had been my rock, cooking and cleaning and looking after her little brothers Rayjay, then 11, and Sonny, five.”
Thankfully, a year later, Gayle received the all clear after going through courses of chemo and radiotherapy.
Scarlett returned to Wales and she and Sam, a 20-year-old plumber she’d met on a night out nine months before she fell pregnant, moved in with her.
Gayle said: “Sam was Scarlett's first true love and I couldn't ask for a better boyfriend for her.
“He was a true gentleman and completely besotted with my Scarlett.”
After Scarlett’s 12-week scan the couple were spurred into action in preparation for its arrival.
Sam found a job in a local factory while Scarlett and Gayle began looking for a flat for their little family.
Gayle recalled: “We couldn't resist shopping for the baby, accumulating teeny-weeny sleep suits and adorable cuddly toys like they were going out of fashion.
“Driving the loved-up pair to hospital for their twenty-week scan Scarlett was buzzing to know the sex of her baby so she could plan a baby shower and colour-coordinate everything.”
But Gayle became concerned when the couple didn’t emerge for more than 45 minutes – and when they did, they looked devastated.
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She explained: “It was a boy but they’d found some abnormalities.
“The sonographer could only find three chambers of the baby's heart, when there should be four, and the nuchal fold at the back of his neck was measuring thicker than it should.
“Both factors pointed to Down’s syndrome.
“Scarlett was booked in for an amniocentesis and an advanced ultrasound scan of her baby's heart, which would clarify the situation.
“A stressful couple of weeks followed as we were left in limbo. Scarlett and Sam spent every spare minute curled up in bed together, sobbing their little hearts out.
“I tried to keep their spirits up but I felt gutted myself. Depending on the test results, they had some big decisions to make.”
At Scarlett’s advanced scan they picked up all four chambers of the baby's heart, giving the three of them renewed hope.
Gayle said: “Putting away clean washing that evening, I smiled to myself when I overheard Scarlett and Sam talking baby names. My optimistic, cheerful Scarlett was back.
“They decided on the name Rocco for their baby boy, with Kurt after Scarlett's dad for his middle name.
“Tentatively, Scarlett and I began planning her baby shower. Everything was going to be blue - the cake, the invitations and balloons.”
Ten days later, in January this year, Gayle got a text from Scarlett telling her the amniocentesis results had come back all clear – her baby was going to be fine.
Gayle recalled: “When I got home, Scarlett had just got out of the bath and was in the kitchen with Sam in her pyjamas scoffing a doughnut.
“I gave her a huge hug and told her how happy I was for them both before going into the living room to turn on the TV.
Suddenly I heard her say, ‘Ow!’ and I turned to see her collapse in the doorway
“Suddenly I heard her say, ‘Ow!’ and I turned to see her collapse in the doorway.
“I fell to my own knees beside her, shouting to Sam, ‘Ambulance!’ while Scarlett stammered, ‘Mum, I can’t breathe’.
“She was sweating, but shivering. Her skin was so cold. Then she started to lose consciousness, changing colour right in front of me, green then blue.
“I told her it was all going to be alright, desperately hoping it was true. But within minutes of paramedics arriving, Scarlett went into cardiac arrest.
“Next thing I was in an ambulance, holding Scarlett's hand and praying as the sirens wailed.”
On arriving at hospital Scarlett was whisked away while Gayle and Sam sat terrified outside the resuscitation room.
An hour later, a doctor emerged and told the devastated pair they were unable to save Scarlett or Rocco.
Gayle said: “I sat with my angel way into the night, tears rolling down my face.
“My grandson was in a basket, a little teddy by his side. He was tiny, too young to survive, but utterly perfect. He had Scarlett's nose and my chin and lips.
It felt impossible I wouldn’t see him grow, or watch my daughter blossom as his mum
“It felt impossible I wouldn’t see him grow, or watch my daughter blossom as his mum.
“Instead of a baby shower, I was now arranging a funeral.”
A post-mortem showed Scarlett died from deep vein thrombosis. A blood clot which developed in her left leg had reached her lungs, cutting off her airways and causing her to go into cardiac arrest.
There's an increased risk of DVT in pregnant women but the family will never be certain what caused it. The clot could have been travelling around her body for years.
On the day of Scarlett’s funeral over 300 mourners crowded into the church with people spilling out onto the street.
Gayle explained: “I put everything I had into planning a last party for my daughter. She always loved a good get-together.
“For her big day, I put her in her favourite red onesie, painted her nails and plaited her hair.
“Bravely, Sam stood up at the front of the church to read out his eulogy. Somebody had to read mine for me.
“As funerals go, it was perfect, all I could have wanted. Except what I really wanted was Scarlett back by my side.
“Afterwards I felt empty and in pain, like my heart was being squeezed. With Sam moved back to his mum's house, I felt like I'd lost a son too.
“I take comfort that Scarlett couldn't possibly have been any happier than she was when she died. And I'm thankful I was there when it happened to calm and reassure her.
“In her eighteen short years, Scarlett has left me with a lifetime of beautiful memories. Now I've got to keep going for my two precious boys.”
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