Couple Take Heartbreaking Photographs With Their Stillborn Daughter To Seal Her Place As Part Of Their Family

A couple from California, Richard, 29 and his wife, Emily Staley’s, chose to remember their baby girl by  hiring a professional photographer, Lindsey Natzic-Villatoro, to take the photos. Natzic-Villatoro has been taking photos of happy moments all through her career. But this was not the case, as she was taking pictures of a rather sad moment. 

When the couple’s daughter Monroe was stillborn, they decided to acknowledge and honor her as one of the family members. Emily told Yahoo Health that she wanted her family to show how beautiful their daughter was. She also wanted to ensure that her memory lives on. Richard and Emily shared the photos on Facebook with families and friends and allowed Natzic-Villatoro also to share them on social media.

Emily was alarmed when she couldn’t feel the baby’s normal movements in her stomach. Stanley rushed to the hospital for a check up, but the medical report was shocking. The doctor said that the cord wrapped the baby’s neck, hence choking her to death.

Stanley bore Monroe Faith Staley through C-section. A Natzic -Vallatoro was present when the baby was being washed.  The photographer said she wanted the couple to remember their child. The photographer continued taking photos as the couple spent nine hours with the baby, and family members visiting to share their love and condolence. 

Many times stillbirths are treated as miscarriages and therefore swept under the rug, said Fredda Wasserman. She said that it’s scary, uncomfortable, too much to look at, but grieving was important to avoid suffering. She added that taking the pictures and sharing them was a healing process.