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A Catonsville woman delivered her first child on Mother's Day, only to learn that the child's father had died from stab wounds he suffered during a robbery.
Claudia Sales last saw her husband Carlos Santay while she was in labor Saturday afternoon. Santay went to a gas station about a block from their home to gas up his car for the ride to the hospital, but he never returned.
The couple met in Guatemala, fell madly in love and moved to America to start a family.
"They just always were smiling around each other and they just had that sparkle in their eye," said coworker Bridgette Sloan.
On Saturday, as Claudia was going into labor, Carlos was getting ready.
"As a matter of fact, he was on his way to pay for gas, get the gas, go back, take his wife to the hospital, where they could give birth to their child," said Cpl. Michael Hill.
But as he went to pay, a man came up behind him, demanded money, then stabbed him when Carlos tried to fight back.
Several hours later, as Claudia was ready to have their baby, Carlos died from the wounds.
Claudia's friends and family didn't tell her until after their baby was born.
"She is in shock. She can't believe it. She says this is not true. This has not happened. And she is crying," said Brenda, a family friend.
But in the face of tragedy, Claudia still manages to find hope.
"She says she's got a reason to go on (to) keep on living, knowing there's this little person that's part of Carlos," said Bertha Anderson, a family friend.
Claudia delivered her baby boy about 3:30 a.m. on Sunday. The baby's name is Carlos David Santay, after his father who in death, lives on.
Police say they have only a partial description of the assailant who stabbed Santay at the gas station.
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