Her mum says she will “never recover” from the loss.
An inquest into the death of a “happy, healthy” toddler in the UK has found she died from atypical Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
Natalie Morley found her two-year-old daughter Aaliyah Jayde Nolan unresponsive on the morning of January 23 last year.
The mum called on ambulance to her home in Alsager, Cheshire, but the toddler was already dead when paramedics arrived.
The inquest heard that the girl had been “a little unwell, with a cold and running nose” in the 24 hours leading up to her death.
Dr Michael Grosdenier, a consultant paediatrician at Leighton Hospital, told the court: “She was given some paracetamol the evening before, but she was not breathing in the morning.”
His clinical assessment listed the cause of death as a “sudden unexpected death in infancy.”
Dr Daniel Hurrell, a consultant paediatric pathologist at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, had carried out a post-mortem examination.
He said he found evidence of a viral infection in Aaliyah’s respiratory tract and the lungs, but was unable to give a definitive cause of death.
“I would agree that she died from natural causes,” he said. “The virus was the likely cause of death. I would not disagree with that. It certainly played a part.
“SIDS or cot death is a natural cause of death. Atypical SIDS is something to consider.
“It is tragic. No-one could have suspected the child was going to die. I do not think anything could have been done from any perspective.”
Cheshire assistant coroner Peter Sigee said he was satisfied that the cause of death was atypical SIDS and that the tot had died peacefully in her sleep.
In a statement, mum Natalie said: “Aaliyah was a happy, healthy baby. My whole world and life is completely shattered.
“I can’t put into words what I am going through. I will never recover from the loss of my beautiful daughter.”
If you or someone you know is grieving the loss of a child, you can call FirstLight‘s national 24-hour helpline on 1850 391 391.