The family of a young Queensland woman are searching for answers after she lost her unborn baby and died eight days later after suffering headaches.
Olivia Harlow died on June 24 at 25 years old after visiting the hospital multiple times and being sent home, her family say.
Stefanie Harlow, Olivia’s sister-in-law and the creator of a fundraising page on behalf of Olivia’s partner Ryan Stephenson, told Daily Mail she went to Royal Brisbane Hospital with headaches and blurred vision at 34 weeks pregnant.
She was allegedly sent home to rest but rushed back to hospital two weeks later, on June 16, when she realized her baby wasn’t moving, and was tragically told her daughter had died.
Stefanie told the publication that Olivia stayed in the hospital for a few days after giving birth and then was sent home, but days later she returned with intense headaches again.
“They said she was probably still stressed from what she had gone through and pretty much sent her on her way,” Stefanie told Daily Mail.
“The next day Olivia was found by her partner in her room unresponsive so they rushed her to the hospital on life support.”
She said they found tumors in Olivia’s brain, with one at the back of her head “almost the size of two golf balls.”
Olivia, who already has one young daughter, was brain-dead, and her life support was turned off on June 24.
Her family are now left awaiting answers on how the otherwise fit and healthy woman’s life changed drastically in 26 days.
“Understandably, this has taken its toll on the family and has come as a huge shock,” Stefanie wrote on the GoFundMe page.
“Olivia was the most caring and loving mother, partner, daughter, granddaughter, sister, niece, cousin and friend anyone could ever have asked for.
“I am reaching out on behalf of the family to help raise some funds to give Liv and Adeline the send off they both deserve and to help ease the financial burden off Ryan so he is able to take his time to grieve and be there for Evaliah while they come to terms with the sudden change of their lives.”
