Influencer Melissa May Carlton expressed deep sorrow as she held a funeral to send off her youngest daughter. It was a final farewell for the daughter who suddenly died on Christmas.
According to U.S. outlet People on the 7th (local time), she sent her youngest daughter Molly to heaven on the 6th. Molly suddenly died on Christmas morning last year from a suspected genetic heart condition. Her age was not disclosed.
Earlier, Melissa shared the sad news that her first daughter Abigail, whom she had with her husband Tom Carlton, died at age 9 from sepsis in April 2024, drawing widespread sympathy. At the time she confessed her deep sense of loss on social media, saying "my heart is shattered and devastated beyond words."
But about 20 months later, tragedy struck again. Melissa said on Dec. 27 last year that she was reporting the news that her youngest daughter Molly had died on Christmas, saying "I am in disbelief, confused and in shock. I am not ready to accept this pain yet." She said Molly had "reunited" with the sister who went before her, a remark that left many viewers heartbroken.
Ahead of the funeral, Melissa once again asked the public for help. On the 6th she appealed, "Today our family buries our beloved Molly," asking, "Because I believe in the power of prayer, please kneel and pray once more." She added, "We are in so much pain. Please pray that angels will be with us so we can get through today," and left a message asking people to wear pink clothing and join them.
Melissa and her husband Tom currently have two other children, son Harry and daughter Lily. Two days after Molly's death they shared medical opinions saying, "Doctors believe it is highly likely that Molly had a genetic heart condition, and they say Abigail may have had the same cause." They added that they were told "even a minor illness could have triggered a fatal cardiac event."
Melissa said, "My daughter's body fought until the end, but they say most of these types of cardiac events are difficult to survive," adding, "We plan to conduct family-level genetic testing to get more answers."
Amid the successive tragedies, she said she hoped that by sharing her experience she could be of small help to other families who have experienced sudden infant death.
[Photo] Melissa May Carlton SNS
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