Harjit had landed an exciting new job and was about to buy a family home when she went in for ‘minor’ surgery. Now her husband and two kids are left with nothing but questions

A young mother-of-two has tragically died after a “routine” surgical abortion at a Melbourne women’s clinic.

Harjit Kaur, 30, had just landed a new IT job at footwear giant Nike and was preparing to buy a family home with her husband, Sukhjinder Singh, where they could raise their four-year-old daughter and two-year-old son.

But their plans were thrown into disarray when she discovered she had accidentally become pregnant earlier this month.

The busy mother felt that she was not mentally, physically and financially ready to have a third child, so the couple made the difficult decision to have an abortion.

After consulting with a doctor, they scheduled the surgery – which is considered a minor procedure – for January 12 at the Hampton Park Women’s Health Clinic, in Melbourne’s south-east.

Mrs Kaur messaged her husband at 12.57pm that Friday as she headed to the operating room, assuring him she would call after her procedure.

Instead, it was Ms. Kaur’s surgeon, Dr. Rudolph “Rudy” Lopes, who called Mr. Singh just over an hour later.

“He told me the procedure was successful, but while they were taking her to the general ward, her heartbeat stopped and an ambulance was there to resuscitate her,” Mr Singh said.

‘I don’t know how I drove my car there.

“I tried to enter the general ward but they stopped me and asked me to stay outside. Five minutes later the doctor came to me and said, “I’m sorry your wife is dead.”

‘I was dead then. My life was destroyed in a second.

Mr Singh described the poignant moment he was finally allowed in to see his wife for the last time.

“I begged her to come back for the sake of our little children,” he said.

An investigation is now underway to determine Ms Kaur’s cause of death, with police and the coroner involved in the case.

Daily Mail Australia understands that Dr. Lopes has voluntarily stepped down pending a possible surgical cause of death.

With many crucial questions yet to be answered, Mr Singh is left alone to raise two children after the death of his ‘super healthy wife’.

In a cruel twist of fate, Ms. Kaur originally planned to have a medical abortion, which involved taking a drug to abort the fetus.

However, during consultation with a nurse, she was told the procedure would result in heavy bleeding and pain that could last up to 30 days.

Ms Kaur was also told there was no guarantee it would work, in which case surgery would be required.

“After all that, Harjit got scared and told me it seemed risky. (she said) How do I deal with this bleeding while I’m at work and taking care of our kids? And there is still a risk,” Mr Singh said.

“(Then) she decided to have surgery instead. The nurse explained that it was very safe and that she would be able to go home in a few hours.’

Mr Singh said he and Ms Kaur married in 2018 and settled in Australia to “give our children a good life”. Daily Mail Australia understands that Dr. Lopes has voluntarily stepped down pending a possible surgical cause of death.

Now without her he has no idea what the future will look like for their family.

“She was so young and healthy,” he said.

‘She has fought for a better life all her life. She was so excited to move into her new home. She had many dreams.

‘How am I supposed to take care of two children and manage my work myself?

‘How am I going to pay off our mortgage? What should I say to my children when they ask about their mother?

“I am completely destroyed.”

a GoFundMe has been set up to support Mr Singh with funeral costs and while he takes time off to be with his children, with community members rallying to raise almost $45,000 so far.

In a letter written by the Hampton Park Women’s Health Clinic, and sighted by Daily Mail Australia, medical director Dr Michelle Kenney noted that Ms Kaur had visited the clinic for a ‘routine minor gynecological procedure under anaesthesia’.

“The procedure and anesthesia were uncomplicated, but due to unforeseen circumstances, Mrs. Kaur died after the procedure,” it reads.

‘CPR was commenced immediately and continued for 45 minutes. Unfortunately, our team (working with MICA paramedics) could not revive Harjit Kaur.”

In a statement to Daily Mail Australia, Dr Kenney said: “Despite our best efforts, we were unable to save Ms Kaur.”

“My employees have all received and received guidance.”

Daily Mail Australia contacted Dr. Lopes for comment.