A nine-months-pregnant mother driving to give birth has been killed and her baby is in critical condition after she hit black ice and flipped her car.
Desiree Strout, 27, died in the horror crash near Skowhegan, in Maine, on Monday morning as she drove to be induced for a c-section.
Passenger Harry Weeks, 29, believed to be her husband, suffered a punctured lung and lacerated liver.
Desiree Strout, 27, died on Monday while driving to hospital for a c-section while Harry Weeks, 29 (right), believed to be her husband, suffered a punctured lung and lacerated liver
The baby was delivered at the roadside and is now in critical condition in hospital.
Strout and Weeks appear to have at least two other children, both girls, from posts on their social media accounts.
Franny MacMichael Clark, a friend of the family, told centralmaine.com that she heard the new baby is a boy.
Skowhegan Police Chief David Bucknam told the news site that Strout was driving her 2005 Chevy Trailblazer when she hit black ice just out of town.
The vehicle skidded and hit a snow bank sideways, flipping over several times before coming down on the driver’s side on a frozen pond.
Ambulance workers performed a c-section at the roadside and the couple’s baby, believed to be a boy, is now in critical condition. It is thought they had two other children, both girls
He said speed was not a factor in the crash, but did not respond to questions over why Strout had been driving instead of Weeks.
Heartbroken friends posted tributes online on Monday, with Amber Lynn writing: ‘Can’t even believe this, doesn’t seem real.
‘I’m going to miss your beautiful face. RIP angel. Love you Desiree.’
Addressing Desiree’s mother Andrea, Robin Hubert added: ‘Oh my Andrea I’m so so sorry. I love you and my heart aches. Praying for you and family.’