During April 2008, after a row with Liam about him spending the night at Carla's, Maria is horrified to discover that her baby has stopped kicking. She goes with sonographer Marcus Dent (Charlie Condou) for an emergency scan and is told that her child has died. On 30 April, still estranged from Liam, she goes into hospital and gives birth to the deceased infant. She decides not to tell Liam that she has lost the baby because she fears that Liam has only married her because she was pregnant.