A Manenberg family is mourning after their pregnant daughter and her unborn child died tragically, just a month before she was due to give birth and then get married.
The heartbroken family of Quenita Bennett, 32, are struggling to come to grips with the young mom’s sudden death after she woke up and struggled to breathe.
Mom Jacky, 55, says she was standing in the Sassa line on 20 February when a relative called to give her the bad news.
“She woke up and was struggling to breathe, but I don’t think it was an asthma attack because she had asthma when she was small but she outgrew it,” says Jacky.
“Then a few minutes later, I heard the relative scream that we must come home.”
AID: Medics went to Quenita’s Manenberg home. Photo: SUPPLIED
She says Quenita, who has a four-year-old daughter named Damrinn, and who was eight months pregnant, was living with her fiancé in Tambo Village and relatives ran across Duinefontein Road to get to her.
They say they waited anxiously for the ambulance to arrive and even flagged Law Enforcement officers to ask for help.
The officers escorted the paramedics to Quenita’s house.
A relative, who asked not to be named, says rumours that paramedics did not have the right equipment to assist the young mom are false.
“They [paramedics] came in the house and asked us to leave, but I looked through the window. They put a machine on her and I could see her eyes were narrow.
“There was a flat line on the machine and she was already done,” says the relative.
Emergency Medical Services spokesperson, Robert Daniels, confirms: “Unfortunately the patient had already passed away when our first resource arrived on scene at 7.30am.
“The family, understandably grieving, did not want to accept the death certification by the first responding crew.
“Hence, the request was for assistance from additional crews to confirm the certification of death, not to bring additional equipment.”
Jacky says last week they went to look at wedding dresses and Quenita was excited about the wedding and the birth of her son, whom she had already named Queran.
“With this pregnancy, she was very tired. She used to work as a wage clerk, but was retrenched last year.
“Last week we were walking on the Grand Parade and I showed her a dress and she said she will come back to buy it.
“They were going to get married at Home Affairs on 8 March.
“Queran was due on 26 March, but he is also gone. I am very heartbroken, she was my baby girl.”
Jacky says they still don’t know what caused Quenita’s death and are waiting for the autopsy report.
The family is now making funeral arrangements and Jacky says the service will be held at the Anglican Church of Reconciliation in Manenberg as soon as they have a date.