In a dramatic new twist to the Sharlene Kowlessar C-section tragedy, two families are now fiercely wrangling over her newborn baby Issac.
Kowlessar died 24 days after she gave birth to Issac at the San Fernando General Hospital.
But a drama for custody unfolded during an emotional funeral service for Kowlessar at her Mc Bean Village, Couva, home yesterday.
Officiating minister, Rev Michael Grant, of the Mc Bean Open Bible Church, brought it out into the open when he loudly appealed to the “daddy,” previously unmentioned in media reports about Kowlessar, to “man up” and accept responsibility for Issac.
“Daddy!” Grant shouted during the service.
“There is a child left behind. Man up and step up to your responsibilities. If he’s here...”
Before Grant could finish, a dreadlocked 38-year old Wayne Berkley stepped out from the small group of mourners.
“Me and Sharlene deal for eight years and she get pregnant. That’s my child,” he said, addressing the mourners.
Berkley said he and Kowlessar had a good relationship, adding, “I love she.”
Grant, at a loss for words, said, “The family needs to strategise to raise that child.”
Shortly after, Berkley’s mother, Josephine Berkley, walked up to the podium singing a hymn. Pledging to maintain baby Issac, she said he was a miracle child.
Josephine said Berkley was in an accident and three doctors had told him he would never have children.
“When I watch my grandson (Issac), I see my son.”
Kowlessar’s relatives wore unsmiling expressions as she spoke, but Josephine added, “He has two families. If we could get together...”
Rev Grant, again, seemed at a loss for words.
“Of course, the logistics (of caring for the baby) has to be worked out with the families.”
The drama did not end there, however. Mourners were asked to talk about their relationship with Kowlessar. Her only brother, Robert, teary-eyed, stepped up.
“My sister is a boss. I love she. And the baby not going nowhere,” he said, abruptly walking away.
Rev Grant said, “I will not try to interpret that parable.”
Josephine later told the T&T Guardian her son was grieving and he wanted his child.
“I told him to go and get some advice from Ian Alleyne but we really don’t want no court case or trouble.”
She said Berkley would register Issac in his name, but for the sake of peace, love and unity he would let Kowlessar’s family keep him and he would have him on the weekends.
“I am a pensioner and every month I will buy milk, pampers, whatever he needs and drop it for them. I told Wayne to give them a little $500 every month.”
Josephine added, “When everything is okay, we will sit down and talk with the family.
“God is in control and if He say no, is no. If He say yes, is yes.”
Well Loved
Kowlessar was much loved by relatives, friends and co-workers at ANSA Chemicals, where she was employed, and they wept openly during the service.
She was described as a woman of great faith in Jesus Christ, a true friend and someone who was always giving of herself and finances to anyone in need.
Her 16-year-old daughter Sarah, her number one priority relatives said, wailed when she saw her mother lying in the casket.
Kowlessar’s sister, Deanne Matamoro, between sobs, said they were not satisfied with the reasons given for her death.
An autopsy said she died from pulmonary embolism as a result of deep vein thrombosis.
“I know it could have been her time to go but proper care was not given to her (at the hospital after the C-section).
“Her life was snatched away. It’s time for somebody to do something and for somebody to be held accountable,” Matamoro said.
The family said for 24 days after her C-section, they were forced to keep rushing Kowlessar to the hospital because she was bleeding from her womb.
“The doctors kept sending her back home.”
Kowlessar’s death came even as health authorities were probing the death of Keisha Ayres at Mount Hope Maternity Hospital, also after giving birth via C-section. (See other stories)
A third mother, Sheriffa Ali, is also calling for a probe after her son Saajid died 11 days after his birth at the San Fernando General Hospital; she claimed doctors refused to do a C-section on time.
Saajid died from stress, trauma and loss of oxygen to the brain during the C-section which was later done.