An Ohio couple is living every parent’s worst nightmare. Just as they were preparing to bring their newborn daughter, Ellieana Peyton, home, tragedy struck.
Born on March 4, Ellieana was diagnosed with a rare heart condition called cardiomyopathy. Though the left side of her heart was slightly smaller than normal, her family said she was doing well under close watch in the NICU at Nationwide Children’s Hospital.
But everything changed in an instant.
While Ellieana’s parents briefly left the hospital to shower, they received a devastating phone call.
According to a GoFundMe page created by family friend Stella Dunlap, a nurse had accidentally dragged Ellieana from her crib after keeping the baby’s monitor cords in her pocket. The resulting fall caused a fractured skull and brain bleeding.
The Franklin County coroner ruled the fall accidental. Despite medical efforts, Ellieana passed away on March 31—just 29 days old.
“She made this world a better place for 29 days,” Dunlap wrote. “Rest in peace, Ellieana.”
Her family described her as a radiant soul with a smile that lit up the room and beautiful brown eyes you could get lost in. Her favorite place, they said, was in the arms of her mom, dad, and loved ones.
Though her life was heartbreakingly short, Ellieana touched everyone around her. Her family is now grieving the unimaginable, leaning on community support and holding tightly to her memory.
“She was so loved,” they shared.
No parent should ever have to leave the hospital without their child. Ellieana’s smile, spirit, and the love she gave in just four weeks will never be forgotten.