Pregnant Mom Dies From Coronavirus After Giving Birth To Son
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) -- A family is dealing with both life and death after the loss of Erika Becerra to coronavirus, and the birth of her healthy son.
The 33-year-old Becerra was eight months pregnant when she was diagnosed with coronavirus three weeks ago.
She grew up in East L.A., her alma mater Roosevelt High School, but recently moved to Detroit, Michigan, where she died on Friday night.
Her brother shared the story about her life and experience with coronavirus as she quickly became sicker.
"The weekend came along and the doctor saw she wasn't getting any better," Michael Avilez said. "They had to think about the baby."
Her labor was induced and on November 15, she gave birth to a healthy Diego Antonio Becerra.
"She had a normal labor, she gave birth to her son but didn't get to hold him because right after she gave birth, that's when they put in the tube and then from there she just started declining," Avilez said.
Avilez and his family rushed to Michigan, from Los Angeles, to be by her side.
"Towards the last moments, she was tearing up. I know she heard us as we prayed for her, we talked to her, we comforted her in the last moments," Avilez said. "All my sister wanted was the best for everybody and she cared about lives. She didn't deserve to go through what she went through."
The family struck by tragedy is yet another reminder of skyrocketing coronavirus cases in the Latinx community, and Becerra's loved ones want people to take the virus seriously.
"It's is a real thing. I don't know why people don't comprehend that," Avilez said.
Becerra had no known underlying conditions, other than pregnancy, and thankfully her husband, 1-year-old daughter, and newborn son all tested negative.
"I know God needed her more than I did and with open arms, we gave her to God last night," her brother said.
With unimaginable challenges ahead, her family started a GoFundMe account to help with expenses.