Cop on checkpoint duty loses baby to illness

MANILA, Philippines — S/Sgt. Robbie Vasquez of the Valenzuela City police was manning a quarantine control checkpoint at the boundary of Malabon and Valenzuela on the night of April 27 when he received a phone call from his wife that their six-month old daughter, Lyndsey, was in critical condition.

After seeking permission from their team leader, the 31-year-old police officer rushed to the Caloocan City North Medical Center to be at his daughter’s side.

Vasquez had not seen his daughter regularly as he has been on field assignment since the enhanced community quarantine in Luzon to contain the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) started last March 17.

While on his way, Vasquez received another frantic phone call from his wife, telling him to hurry as their daughter’s condition has worsened.

The police officer had just arrived at the hospital when he was informed that his child passed away.

“The doctors tried to revive her but it was  too late,” an emotional Vasquez told The STAR in an interview yesterday, the day Lyndsey was laid to rest at the Forest Park Cemetery in Camarin.

Vasquez said Lyndsey, who had Down syndrome, is the youngest of his three children, the others being a six-year-old boy and a four-year-old girl.

His wife works as a cashier at a shopping mall but went on leave as she was about to give birth to their youngest daughter.

Doctors listed Lyndsey’s cause of death as hypoglycemia or insulin shock brought by severe dehydration. Vasquez clarified that his daughter did not die as result of COVID-19 and doctors issued a certificate as proof.

Vasquez said Lyndsey was sick and feverish for several days. There were available medicines at home but the infant’s condition deteriorated.

The police officer, who was still in his uniform, hugged and kissed his daughter goodbye before she was whisked to a funeral parlor.

“Hindi ka nga makiss at mayakap ng daddy dahil hindi ko alam baka pati ako infected na din ng COVID-19 dahil sa pagganap ko ng tungkulin (I could not kiss or hug you because I didn’t know if I was infected with COVID-19 because of my duties),” he recalled telling his daughter.

Philippine National Police deputy chief for operations Lt. Gen. Guillermo Lorenzo Eleazar expressed condolences to Vasquez, who has been in the PNP for 10 years.

“He lost his child while on the frontlines,” he said in a text message.

Vasquez said that as the parent of a child with special needs, he made sure that all of Lyndsey’s maintenance medicines were ready before he went on field assignment for the quarantine.

Local officials allowed the family to hold a wake for Lyndsey at their home in Caloocan for a few days. No other relatives or friends were allowed to visit due to the quarantine.

Vasquez could not say when he will go back on field duty, saying the death of his youngest child dealt a serious blow to their family.

One of Vasquez’s colleagues said they have been providing financial support to the police officer.

“Kailangan ho talaga niya ng tulong (He really needs the help),” the police officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said in a message on Facebook.