Baby whose mother chose giving birth over chemo has died

DETROIT -- A relative says the baby born of a Michigan woman who chose to forgo chemotherapy to give birth to the child has died. 

Sonya Nelson says her niece, Life Lynn DeKlyen, died Wednesday evening at University of Michigan Hospital in Ann Arbor. Life's mother, Carrie DeKlyen, died Sept. 9, three days after giving birth to her sixth child. 

Relatives say Life had been doing better than expected after being born prematurely at 1 pound 4 ounces. Nelson tells The Associated Press the baby had good and bad days at the hospital, but "took a turn for the worse" this week. 

Nelson says "we don't have any answers," but that "maybe Carrie needed her." 

Carrie DeKlyen declined the brain cancer treatment, because it would have meant ending her pregnancy.

She and her husband Nick DeKlyen, who are from the western Michigan city of Wyoming, had five other kids who range in age from 2 to 18 years old. After Carrie DeKlyen died, her husband said the family is strong in its Christian faith.

"My wife loves the Lord and she loves her children more than anything," he said.