She Gave Birth to 3rd Child, Dies of Infection Days Later

On June 24, Lindsay Bugbee Crosby of Simsbury, Conn., gave birth to her third child, a healthy baby boy named Nolan. A happy photo shows the smiling mom celebrating in the hospital with husband Evan and daughters Finlay, 5, and Sigrid, 3. Within a week, however, the 32-year-old was back in the hospital with a strep infection, and she died on July 4, reports the Hartford Courant. Bugbee Crosby developed Group A strep, which led to more serious sepsis as her body fought the infection. Sepsis accounts for about 13% of pregnancy-related deaths in the US, according to CDC stats cited by People.

Two separate fundraisers at GoFundMe, here and here, have so far raised more than $370,000 for the family. "It has meant so very much to us," says a family statement. "The kind messages have been most comforting, and the generous and unexpected financial gifts will be very helpful in coping with unforeseen expenses." It's not clear what happened in Bugbee Crosby's case, but sepsis can occur as a result of complications during childbirth related to C-sections, ruptured membranes, or prolonged or obstructed labor. (More Sepsis stories.)