Exclusive: Horrifying Death of Reality Star's Baby

Joseph SimmonsA rapper's wife gave birth Thursday, but the scene quickly turned to tragedy after their newborn girl was pronounced dead.

Rev. Run, a.k.a. Joseph Simmons, shocked fans last year when he announced that his wife Justine was pregnant on his MTV reality show "Run's House."

Justine's pregnancy was the cliffhanger on the MTV show last season. It generated intense interest among viewers who have been anxiously following the pregnancy and awaiting the birth.

Simmons, a member of the legendary rap group Run-DMC, was at Valley Hospital in Ridgewood, NJ Tuesday for the birth of his child. Doctors delivered the baby via c-section, revealing a cruel twist of fate -- the baby girl was born with organs outside the body. The newborn died a short time later.

TMZ has learned that MTV cameras were inside the hospital at the time of the birth, though we do not know if they were in the delivery room.

Filed under: TV, Music

Reader Comments

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31. IM SO SORRY TO HEAR OF YOUR LOSS. YOU WILL BE IN MY PRAYERS.MAY THE LORD GIVE YOU COMFORT IN YOUR HOUR OF NEED.

Posted at 12:06AM on Sep 27th 2006 by louise

32. This is satan wicked world! I am truly sorry for this family's loss though they will see thier baby in her perfect state in God's new system! May god bless you as you go through this tragedy. I have 3 special needs children and some things you cannot predict with all the technology in the world. My prayers ar with them, hopefully they will remain strong in faith. Trust in Jehovah god and he will see you through!

Posted at 12:08AM on Sep 27th 2006 by Casey Thompson

33. I'M SO SORRY TO BOTH OF YOU AND MAY GOD BLESS YOU THROUGHT THIS ROUGH TIME BUT HE WILL MAKE A WAY FOR YOU.I KNOW HOW YOU ARE FELLING MY HUSBAND AND I HAD A SIMILAR SITUATION TO HAPPEN.YOU JUST HAVE TO PRAY IT WILL GET BETTER.

Posted at 12:35AM on Sep 27th 2006 by CHRIS C

34.
I was devestated when I read this article. I too know what its like to lose a child. My prayers are with the family in this their time of need. May the public have mercy on them and give them time to grieve.
Run and Justine, God will bring peace and comfort to you. Good Luck in the future. God Bless, A Run House Fan

Posted at 12:38AM on Sep 27th 2006 by Yannie

35. My family and I love your show, we have even Tivo it
and love watching
it again and again. We were looking forward to your next season. Our
thoughts and prayer are with you, Rev. Run and Justine and the family.
You are a strong family and you all will get through this together.
Be strong and may God continue to richly bless you.

Posted at 12:41AM on Sep 27th 2006 by Joan

36. I feel so sorry for them. It must be hard to get through this misery. A friend of mine just had a miscarriage last month. It was the 7th month already. She was wondering why the baby didn't make any movement. When she and her husband went to a doctor, the doctor said that the baby was already gone a week before :(. They were shocked. I was, too!

Now that I read this news about a newborn pronounced dead a short time after being born... and with the organs outside the body?? I wonder whether they had ultrasound throughout the pregnancy or not..

Joseph and Justine... you have my prays... Hope everything will get better soon...

Posted at 12:52AM on Sep 27th 2006 by WonderingWhetherTheyHadAnUltrasound

37. I attend church with the Simmon's and I know they were looking forward to welcoming this new child into their loving extended family. This family has strong faith and I know their beliefs will get them through this. My heart goes out to them.

Posted at 12:58AM on Sep 27th 2006 by Aspirtual friend

38. God be with this family during this heart breaking times. I will be praying for the family..

Posted at 1:20AM on Sep 27th 2006 by Kate

39. Oh my God .. That is absolutely awful -- My prayers and condolences go out to the Rev and his family in this time of grief.

Posted at 1:35AM on Sep 27th 2006 by Sherry

40. I am so sorry to hear of your loss. I am praying for you and I know you guys will overcome this sadness.

Posted at 2:20AM on Sep 27th 2006 by Lisa

41. My condolences to the Simmons' family. I must admit I don't have Foxtel here in Perth, Western Australia to be able to watch the show but reading the comments already on here, I now wish that I did. My heart goes out to Rev and Justine and I know that your little baby is up in heaven smiling down on you. God bless the both of you and your family.

From the Becvarovski family.

Posted at 3:04AM on Sep 27th 2006 by Tony

42. so sorry for them, my prayers and thoughts go out to them at this tragic time,

Posted at 4:43AM on Sep 27th 2006 by tina

43. I never watched this, I remembered Run DMC in the 80s I was a fan then but I had lost interest. Despite that, regardless of who what when or where its a tragic loss and I feel for them. My thoughts and prayers go out its an extremely sad moment but I know from what I remember of this band and Rev. Run, hes a strong soul and he and his lovely wife will come through this.

As for the ultrasound, as someone who had a family memeber suffer through the same exact thing, I can tell you no. Depending on the machines used for the ultrasound sometimes you can not tell. My cousin lost her baby years ago due to the same thing and they did not realize this. The ultra sound is somewhat like an xray machine so it will appear as if the organs are in fact outside the body either way (hence the reason in the pics you cansee the heart beating, the stomache, etc.) The placenta was most likely keeping the baby in decent health the whole time

I suppose we will find out eventually if the MTV cameras were in the room but I seriously do not believe that they knew this ahead of time. Luckily Justine is ok physically. if they knew ahead of time they would have taken the baby out earlier for the sake of her health, god forbid the babys liver ruptured, it could have caused Justine serious physical damage. Doctors wouldnt have left the baby in their had they known.

Again my heart goes out to the family.

Posted at 5:34AM on Sep 27th 2006 by Natalia

44. i'm truly sadden by the news of the simmons family my praise go out to the family may bless u and keep u in his ever lastin arm and keep u strong threw this time of lost.

Posted at 8:14AM on Sep 27th 2006 by melinda montgomery

45. How very sad. My prayers and condolences go out to the Simmons family. They may have had an ultrasound and possibly known of the problem, and had a C-section hoping to save the baby after delivery. Or the ultrasound may have missed it. It doesn't say if they were in a neo-natal unit or not. Or if this delivery was an emergency. From experience, I know ultrasounds are not a 100% way to diagnose everything. Just a tragedy for all of them. I'm glad they are a spiritual family and hope that their faith will carry them through this.

Posted at 8:37AM on Sep 27th 2006 by Patty

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