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Guest Character Profiles > Matilda Turner Eloise Smibert

Matilda Turner 2015-2016
Parents: Amber Turner and Josh Willis

The result of a one-night-stand between exes Josh and Amber, baby Matilda's life was under threat before she was even born, when, during an ultrasound, it was discovered that she was suffering from CDH (Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia), a condition that could have potentially given her a slim chance of survival. Following further tests, it was found that the hernia was not severe, and that the baby could be operated on, following her birth. Trapped in a fire at the high school, Amber then went into labour over a month before her due date and, at the hospital, despite the best efforts of the doctors to slow her labour, she gave birth. The baby was immediately taken for treatment and, after a couple of weeks, it was decided that she could be operated on. With the operation a success, Amber and Josh finally decided to name their daughter, calling her Matilda in honour of Amber's dad, Matt, who had died earlier that year.

After a couple more weeks, Josh and Amber were able to take Matilda home, asking their families for some time alone so that they could adjust to parenthood. Unfortunately, their first night alone almost ended in disaster, when Amber left Josh with Matilda so that she could sleep for a few hours, only to return and find him lying next to the baby on the couch, having fallen asleep whilst feeding her. Amber quickly grabbed her daughter, and woke Josh, angrily telling him that he could have suffocated her. Though no harm had been done, the incident left Josh feeling useless, and wondering if he'd ever be able to cope with fatherhood. The following week, Josh was looking after Matilda and finding it very difficult to stop her from crying. He eventually decided to try taking her for a drive, but found himself sitting in the driver's seat begging his daughter to stop crying. As he became increasingly frustrated and started to zone out, he suddenly found Amber looking at it, extremely worried about his behaviour. She then told him that, until she was confident that he was fit to look after her, she wouldn't be leaving him alone with the baby.

The following week, as Christmas arrived, Josh was alarmed to learn that Amber had been offered a job with a CDH charity in Brisbane, and was seriously considering accepting. As it quickly blew up into a huge drama, with Josh's father Brad threatening to help fight for custody, Amber and Josh talked things through, and Josh reluctantly agreed to the plan, as long as he could make regular visits and still be a big part of his daughter's upbringing.

Tenure
7258, 7259, 7260, 7265, 7266, 7267

Biography by Steve

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