Collier family brings baby home after he tests positive for coronavirus

A six-week-old baby boy is showing Southwest Florida he is a fighter.

Sunday, baby Aubrey was released from the hospital in Collier County after being diagnosed with the coronavirus.

Aubrey tested positive for COVID-19 a week ago, and his mother and father were unable to be by his side while he was initially treated because they too contracted coronavirus.

Aubrey’s mother celebrated the birth of her baby just over a month ago, bringing him home from the hospital. But, last week, his family had to return with him to the hospital, this time to the emergency room.

“My son got his first symptom, which was the fever,” Aubrey’s mother told WINK News. He wasn’t eating or like he normally would be eating, and his fever just kind of started to creep up in the nineties, and it went up to 100, and it went up to 101.”

That’s when Aubrey’s pediatrician told his family they needed to bring him to the ER.

“You don’t know what’s gonna happen,” the mother said. “Every day is just you go to sleep, you wake up the next day to see has anything gotten worse, has it gotten better, or is it the same, just stress every day seeing how the next day is going to be.”

Aubrey spent four days in the hospital without his parents, since they had also tested positive for COVID-19. Luckily, Aubrey’s 4-year-old sister tested negative for the virus.

“My daughter was leaving toys at his door,” the mother said. “’Why can’t I see daddy?’ And she didn’t fully get it, but I trust that we’re going to get through this.”

The family says doctors are asking them to monitor Aubrey’s breathing. They say there are good signs right now: He isn’t coughing, and his mom says he is acting like himself. Another big improvement is no fever.

Through it all, the family’s priority is to hold on to hope.

“There’s so much unknown,” Aubrey’s mom said. “And the first thing you think is they’re not gonna do well because they’re so young, but we don’t know. There is hope.”

Editor’s note: Aubrey’s last name and name of his family members remain omitted for their safety and privacy, same as if their cases were shared by health agencies.