Melissa Mae Carlton and her husband Tom Carlton are grieving the devastating loss of their youngest daughter Molly.
‘On Christmas morning, our sweet Molly girl, and her big sister Abi were reunited,’ Melissa wrote on Instagram on Friday, December 26, referring to Abigail’s death in April 2024.
‘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?’”
Abi passed away at just nine years old after battling sepsis, while the couple have not publicly revealed Molly’s age or cause of death.
Hours later, Melissa returned to Instagram with more details.
‘I hesitate to share a medical update already because we still don’t have an official diagnosis, but I do feel it’s important to let people know that we have some answers this time,’ she wrote on Saturday. ‘The doctors believe Molly had a genetic heart condition and suspect this may have been the case with Abi as well.’
Melissa Mae Carlton (pictured) and her husband Tom Carlton are grieving the devastating loss of their youngest daughter Molly
‘On Christmas morning, our sweet Molly girl, and her big sister Abi were reunited,’ Melissa wrote on Instagram on Friday, December 26, referring to Abigail’s death in April 2024
Melissa, who also shares children Harry and Lily with Tom, added: ‘I’m sharing this because I believe it could be critical information for families who have experienced SUDC (sudden unexpected death in children).
‘This understanding came because Molly was able to be monitored in the hospital, which we were not able to do with Abi. I’ve never felt satisfied with the answers we were given for her.’
She explained that if Abi also had the heart condition, ‘any minor illness could potentially trigger a sudden cardiac event.’
Molly died on Christmas Day following a sudden hospitalization.
‘That morning, we witnessed many small miracles. Paramedics were stationed just three minutes away and arrived quickly,’ Melissa recalled.
‘The pediatric trauma center 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, but we’ve been told that this type of cardiac event is, in most cases, not survivable.’
Melissa described the emotional toll: ‘We are devastated. In disbelief. Confused and in shock. 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 influencer, who runs a faith-inspired art shop with 80,000 Instagram followers, has previously spoken candidly about Abi’s death.
Abi passed away at just nine years old after battling sepsis, while the couple have not publicly revealed Molly’s age or cause of death
‘The doctors believe Molly had a genetic heart condition and suspect this may have been the case with Abi as well’
Melissa, who also shares children Harry and Lily with Tom, added: ‘I’m sharing this because I believe it could be critical information for families who have experienced SUDC (sudden unexpected death in children)’
In May, she shared a video reel showing Abigail throughout the years — smiling at the dinner table, blowing out candles, and spending time with her family — with overlay text: ‘Yesterday, I should have had a 10-year-old running down the stairs in the morning, eager to open her presents.’
Melissa reflected on the sudden nature of Abigail’s passing, revealing the child was happy and playing with her siblings the day before.
By morning, she had stomach pain and vomited — something the couple initially thought was a routine bug — but within three hours, Abigail was gone.
She admitted the grief has taken a toll on her ability to appear ‘strong’ online.
‘The truth is, it really, really sucks. I hate it. I miss her so much. It’s ‘supposed’ to be the happiest time of year, but it just hurts,’ she wrote recently.
‘This is our second Christmas without her, and while I’ve been running on a lot of spiritual morphine, my body is finally catching up to the reality and permanence of it all. I still can’t believe this happened. I still can’t believe she’s gone.”
Melissa shared that she no longer wants a picture-perfect holiday.
‘One thing child loss has taught me is that I’m done wanting my house to feel like a show home. I want it cozy. Lived in. With clear evidence that children live here,’ she wrote on December 11.
‘I regret ever having two Christmas trees. One for us and one for the kids. From now on, the tree is the kids’ tree. All of their ornaments. Everything they’ve made for it.’
She went on to describe the family traditions they now embrace in memory of Abi, including making ‘Abi angels,’ hanging childhood ornaments on the tree, and framing one of Abi’s holiday pajamas for the wall.
‘This is what Christmas looks like now,’ Melissa concluded.
