Couple Heartbroken After Photos Stolen of Newborn Son Who Only Lived for Thirty Minutes

National   |   Sarah Zagorski   |   Feb 3, 2015   |   6:09PM   |   Charlotte, NC

Last week, April MacLean gave birth to a little boy named Amari (below) in a North Carolina hospital. Tragically, he only lived for thirty minutes and MacLean and the baby’s father could only hold him for five minutes.

The couple did not disclose the cause of their son’s untimely death but knew something was wrong before he was born. Prior to Amari’s birth, MacLean requested that a photographer from Now Lay Me Down to Sleep, a non-profit organization that provides professional photography to parents who are suffering the loss of a baby, would come capture pictures of her son when he was born. The photographer, Faith Massey, came and took pictures of the whole family.

amari

Unfortunately, shortly after the pictures were taken, Massey’s camera bag was stolen.

According to the Daily Mail, her camera bag and $5,000 worth of equipment was taken from her car including the memory card with all her photographs. Thankfully, Massey has insurance and will be able to replace the camera kit, which contained a Canon 6D, 50mm f/1.2, 85mm f/1.8, and a 100mm f/2.8. She said, however, what she can’t replace are the pictures of Amari.

Now the only picture the couple has of their son is one they took on their cellphone.

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MacLean said, “Words cannot explain how I’m feeling right now. After loosing Amari, Faith helped make sure that we captured all of Amari’s precious moments on her camera shortly after I gave birth til the moment he took his last breath. To find out that the camera has been stolen with the memory card full of the last moments with my baby, broke my heart. I’ve cried til I can’t cry anymore. The only picture with me holding my baby is in that camera and it was only 5mins I was able to hold him.”

In an appeal to the thief, MacLean said, “PLEASE, if you are the person who took this camera PLEASE at least turn the memory card in to Faith Massey, [email protected]. You may do it anonymously. At this point I don’t care who you are.To lose my child and to lose the only pictures we have of Amari can’t even be explained. Just hurt and heartbroken. Please just give me back the last moments I had with my child.”

On Facebook Massey wrote, “The family is devastated. Isn’t it enough that they had to say hello and goodbye to their son on the day of his birth, but to lose the images that will help heal their hearts.”