Audio By Carbonatix
A student at a small Christian college in South Carolina bled to death after she gave birth to a stillborn baby in secret in her dorm room and didn't seek medical attention, it has been revealed.
Ayaanah Gibson, 19, a freshman from Sacramento, California, died alone in her room at Benedict College following labor late Saturday or early Sunday.
County Coroner Gary Watts said Gibson's tragic death could have almost certainly been prevented if she had gone to a hospital after delivering the stillborn fetus, which she had carried for 30 to 32 weeks.
The State newspaper reports that the campus of Benedict College, in downtown Columbia, South Carolina, is less than a mile and a half from three of the biggest hospitals in the state.
Gibson had come to the small, historically-black Baptist college last month and was majoring in chemistry.
On her Facebook page, she expressed homesickness just a few days after moving to campus.
'I miss California. South Carolina is something else I tell you,' she wrote.
Based on the coroner's estimates of the age of the fetus, it appears that Gibson was pregnant before she graduated from high school.
The college, which has 2,500 students, offers free access to a health center that provides, among other services, gynecological care.
The coroner said it did not appear that she sought medical care for her pregnancy at any point.
Watts said it appears that Gibson spontaneously went into labor and that she had not planned the delivery.
She was found dead in her room on Sunday.
'The Benedict College family is deeply saddened this evening about the unexpected loss of one of its students. Please join the Benedict College family in praying for our fallen Tiger and her family,' the college said in a statement.
Students gathered on campus for a vigil on Tuesday.
DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.
Tags:
DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.
Latest Stories
-
Court ends 13-years amputee football dispute as high court rulesin favour of NSA and NPC Ghana
24 minutes -
Trafficked Ghanaians should not be prosecuted for crimes they were forced to commit – Forum
59 minutes -
National conference on school indiscipline concludes with call for coordinated national action
1 hour -
Ghana civil society coalition to tackle transnational crime as trafficking forum warns of rising cyber scam exploitation
2 hours -
Asiedu Nketia urges stronger investment in research to drive Ghana’s economic transformation
2 hours -
Court of Appeal erred in acquitting Sedina Attionu — Alfred Tuah-Yeboah
2 hours -
REGSEC impounds 9 excavators as anti-galamsey operation intensifies in Obuasi
2 hours -
GHS and International Sickle Cell Centre sign 5-year MoU to strengthen national response to sickle cell disease
2 hours -
Ghana secures $35.5m housing financing as it moves to assess challenges with the sector
2 hours -
Democracy is more than elections; it requires responsible citizens — Ibn Chambas
3 hours -
Evidence against Sedina Attionu was solid; acquittal is strange — Tuah-Yeboah
3 hours -
EU commits additional €4 million to support Ghana’s anti-human trafficking efforts
3 hours -
IJM calls for stronger collaboration to combat human trafficking as 1,200 victims rescued in 2025
3 hours -
Ghana School of Law to hold Criminal Prosecution and Litigation graduation on July 31
3 hours -
Kwaku Asante’s summary of the judgment of the Court of Appeal acquitting Sedina Tamakloe
3 hours