Update on the baby of the nephew of the friend of the friend on Facebook. It turns out the baby contracted Group B strep (GBS) while still in the womb, which caused the pervasive brain damage. This is from childbirth.org:
An estimated 12,000 infants in the United States will become infected with GBS each year. This bacteria will result in the death of an estimated 2,000 infants yearly, while leaving many others mentally and/or physically handicapped. . . .
In certain cases, evidence exists that GBS may cross intact membranes to infect the baby in utero. . . .
[L]arge numbers will suffer permanent handicaps such as brain damage ranging from mild learning disabilities to severe mental retardation, loss of sight and hearing, and lung damage (full statistics do not exist for the total number of surviving babies who will have these permanent handicaps)
The parents are taking the baby home, where she will pass away from her injuries in the care of a hospice organization.
My mother had a baby brother who died from meningitis in infancy. This could be a Group B strep-related occurrence.
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