Rhianna Benson
Warning: This article contains discussion of child death and grief which some readers may find distressing.
Lifestyle influencer Melissa Mae Carlton has made an emotional vow, hours after breaking the gut-wrenching news that her daughter Molly has died.
The youngster tragically passed away on Christmas Day, a year and a half after Carlton and her husband, Tom Carlton, lost their other daughter, nine-year-old Abigail, to sepsis.
Taking to Instagram on Boxing Day (26 Dec), the online star shared an image of their youngest, revealing that, though they still 'don't have an official diagnosis', Molly did suffer from a genetic heart condition that Abigail is believed to shared.
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"On Christmas morning, our sweet Molly girl, and her big sister Abi were reunited," Carlton wrote. "This is the only thing giving me even a small sense of comfort. Molly missed her sister so deeply, she would often ask me, 'Mummy, when is Jesus coming back so Abi can come down?'"
"We are exhausted and shaken after a day filled with trauma and heartbreak. I feel numb. I cannot yet accept that this is real. I am not ready for this pain."
The mother-of-four - who also shares daughter Lily and son Harry with her other-half - is now using her heartache in a bid to forge a community with other parents who've suddenly lost a child.
"I’m sharing this because I believe it could be critical information for families who have experienced SUDC (sudden unexpected death in children)" Carlton continued, adding that the family's 'understanding' of Molly's condition came from her being monitored in hospital ahead of her death.
This was a luxury they were 'not able to do with Abi'.
SUDC - also known as SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome) - describes the unexpected death of a child aged between 1-18 years that remains unexplained, with around 40 children in the UK being affected by this per year.
Research into this heartbreaking occurrence sees cardiac, neurological and metabolic genes that are associated with sudden death analysed in a bid to provide grieving parents some type of closure, as per SUDC UK.
In a considerable proportion of these cases, cardiac (heart) channelopathies, which are heart rhythm disorders, are associated with sudden death.
"I've never felt satisfied with the answers we were given for her," Carlton continued of Molly's passing. "But this type of condition, we've been told that even a minor illness could potentially trigger a sudden cardiac event.
"Her little body fought so hard. But we've been told that this type of cardiac event is, in most cases, not survivable. I hope we will get more answers soon and will be doing more genetic investigation for our family now we have possibly a clearer avenue to explore."
She went on plead with her followers: "I am asking, with all my heart, that those prayers do not stop. In the days and weeks ahead, there will be so much to do and to organise, and we will need strength beyond our own.
"That morning, we witnessed many small miracles. Paramedics were stationed just three minutes away and arrived quickly, the paediatric trauma centre was only fifteen minutes from where we were. We were in the best possible place, with everything aligned for the best conditions and the best outcome. Her little body fought so hard."
If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence, contact Cruse Bereavement Care via their national helpline on 0808 808 1677.