PHOENIX, Arizona -- An Arizona woman died hours after she gave birth to a set of quadruplets.
"It was a matter of a few hours," family friend Nicole Todman said. "The babies were delivered about 6:30 in the evening, and Erica passed away early morning."
Erica Morales and her husband Carlos had tried for year to have children. Babies Tracey, Paisley, Carlos Junior and Erica arrived a few weeks early. While Erica did not live long enough to hold her babies, friends said the mom would rather die after childbirth than continue living without children.
"There was nothing she was more determined to do in life than to give life," friend Christina Todman said. "That was her determination. That's all she wanted."
Neither the woman's family nor the hospital have said exactly how Erica Morales died.
"Our heartfelt thoughts and condolences are with the family during this very difficult time," the hospital where Erica died released in a statement.
"Her purpose was to be put here to have those children, to have those children, to be an angel... to guide them, to watch them," Christina Todman said.
Friends opened a GoFundMe account to help pay for the babies' on-going expenses.
