Mother continues fight to see baby recognized as a human, not a fetus

By Jason Niblett
Leader-Call
January 13, 2004

"This was my child. He grew inside of me."

But now, Brandi McKeehan and her husband Sean face each day knowing that their son Landon died before he ever had a chance to live. In fact, according to Mississippi law, Landon wasn't even technically a living human being - only a fetus. That's blunt news to parents like Brandi and Sean. But, Landon never took a breath on his own. He was a completely formed baby in his parents' eyes, but not even a child in the state's eyes. His death was ruled SADS - Sudden Antenatal Death Syndrome. They never got a birth certificate or an acknowledgment that Landon was ever on this earth.

The Pine Belt couple is trying desperately to change that. Brandi became a member of the National Stillbirth Society to help try to change laws here at home and everywhere else that she can reach.

The young couple never imagined that the birth of their second child would negatively impact their lives forever. They expected Landon to join Bretley, his older sister. But, the day before his due date, their plans changed dramatically.

At first, the event started normally. Brandi had contractions, contacted the hospital, and checked in with her doctor. Then, when the contractions got four minutes apart, she and her husband were ready to leave for the hospital.

"I was walking to my bedroom to change clothes," Brandi said. "I felt something wet on my legs. I told my husband that my water had broken. Then, I looked down and it was blood-nothing but pure blood. He grabbed me, put me in the car, and I was already blacking out. I almost died on the way to the hospital because I had lost so much blood."

Sean and Brandi made it to a hospital in Hattiesburg. The medical staff rushed Brandi into emergency surgery even as Brandi went in and out of consciousness. Doctors tried to get a fetal heartbeat.

"My son's heart had stopped less than 20 minutes after I had lost so much blood," Brandi said. "He never even took a breath on his own. They asked my husband if I had a living will. They almost lost me three times. I had 26 staples and 380 stitches."

"My son was beautiful," she said. Landon weighed 8 pounds, 10 ounces and had a full head of black hair.

"If he could've taken a breath, he would have lived. He would have been a perfectly healthy baby," she said. "If we would have had the time, we could have at least donated his organs."

Brandi and Sean are not alone in facing a stillbirth. In fact, there are 26,000 babies who die each year for unexplained reasons.

"People don't realize this could happen and it does happen," she said. "I'm a perfectly healthy 22- year- old woman. Here I am - I felt him move. He would kick. My little girl would touch my stomach. He would kick back where she touched."

But, Sean soon found out that his son had died and his wife was also on the verge of death.

"He knew before I came out of surgery that Landon was dead," she said. "They asked him if I had a living will. They asked him if he wanted them to CODE and bring me back if they lost me."

But, Bretley didn't get to meet her brother.

"Imagine having to come home to explain it to your three-year-old daughter why her brother isn't around anymore," Brandi said.

They found out about their son legally being a fetus just after the death. The hospital staff told the couple that they could bury Landon by themselves.

"They didn't even tell us they could embalm him," Brandi said. "They didn't even tell us we could have a funeral. They told us we could have a white pine box and bury him anywhere we wanted - as long as it was at least three feet under."

Brandi is fighting for a legal birth certificate. It's too late for Landon, but it's not too late for the thousands of babies stillborn each year. She doesn't mind a statement of something like "Certificate of Birth - Stillborn" or something like that. She just wants the state, and other people, to acknowledge her baby that grew to full term.

"I'm just getting started," she said. "I am sure that it's going to take years."

But, it's important right now because the legislature is in session. Her request may not make it to the house or senate right now, but Brandi hopes that someone - anyone - with ties to the legislature will notice the issue and make something happen.
 

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