Mum shares emotional warning after toddler smothered by teddy bear
Dexy Leigh Walsh's life was changed forever on the morning of the 6th of March.
She went into her daughter's room, Connie Rose, to find that the toddler had tragically passed away in her sleep.
It is thought that a teddy bear fell over during the night and smothered her.
Now her grieving mother has taken to Facebook as a warning to other parents.
"On the 6th March 8.01am 2018 my life changed," she wrote. "I woke up to get my oldest ready for school to find my youngest baby had passed away."
Walsh continues to say that she blames herself for Connie's death.
"I have been blaming myself as she passed away due to suffocation as I had packed down the side of her bed with teddy’s and placed a big one on top of the smaller teddy’s to stop her from falling down the side of her bed. She did exactly that but as it was all teddy bears she went under the massive teddy and fell asleep with the angels. All I think about now is what if I just left it empty she would still be here maybe with just a small bump on her head."
But now since it's too late to change anything for her, Walsh still wants to warn parents about the dangers of overfilled cots.
"It’s all 'what ifs' now. But I want every parent to see and be aware of this. Let them fall don’t try to stuff small places up with soft things just leave it empty. She had a bed guard at one side and the smallest gap from her wall to her bed and that’s where I had put all her teddy’s my biggest regret in life."
She begs parents o be aware of their children's sleeping spaces.
"Please move everything off your kids bed and away from the sides. My oldest daughter used to have her bed covered in cushions [and] teddys had princess drapes the lot. They don’t need anything on their bed but a cover, a pillow isn’t even needed."
She hopes that her tragedy will prompt other parents to rethink sleep safety.
"I really hope my little princess's tragic story can save someone else's baby's life. I miss you Connie so much life is so unfair at time[s]. I'm so glad and proud you were my little girl you made me who I am today and now I’m even stronger for your big sister. Thank you for being the most perfect and loveable baby. Your smile can make anyone come from a really dull place to happy in seconds. Mum, Murray and Dior love you lots and miss you so much baby! Everyone in the family is broken."
In a follow up post on the Connie Rose Awareness page, she repeated her intention to turn her tragedy into a warning for parents.
"I really hope all the things I’m trying to do make a difference out there please think about what’s on your kids bed and around it you really never know what can happen.. give your babies and extra squeeze tonight"
To find out more about sleeping safety see here.