Melissa Mae Carlton is mourning a tragic loss.
The influencer shared that her younger daughter Molly died on Dec. 25, just over a year and a half after her older sister Abigail died from sepsis at the age of 9 in April 2024.
“On Christmas morning, our sweet Molly girl, and her big sister Abi were reunited,” Melissa wrote on Instagram Dec. 26. “This is the only thing giving me even a small sense of comfort. Molly missed her sister so deeply.”
Melissa added that she and husband Tom Carlton—who are also parents to son Harry and daughter Lily—were “devastated” and “in disbelief.”
“We are exhausted and shaken after a day filled with trauma and heartbreak,” she wrote. “I feel numb. I cannot yet accept that this is real. I am not ready for this pain.”
Melissa thanked her followers for their prayers, asking that they continue sending love and support to her family in the “days and weeks ahead” as “there will be so much to do and to organize, and we will need strength beyond our own.”
“I am scared of what life looks like now for us,” she said. “I am heartbroken for our children.”
“Last night, through tears, Harry told me that when we boarded the plane to Arizona on Monday, Molly leaned over and told him she wanted to be with Abi,” Melissa recalled. “Through sobs, he said, ‘She got what she wanted.’”
In a follow-up post, Melissa shared that while they didn’t have an official diagnosis for what caused Molly’s death, doctors believe she had a genetic heart condition, noting that they believe that may have also been the case for Abigail.
“This understanding came because Molly was able to be monitored in the hospital, which we were not able to do with Abi,” she continued. “I’ve never felt satisfied with the answers we were given for her. But this type of condition, we’ve been told that even a minor illness could potentially trigger a sudden cardiac event.”
According to Melissa, they were told that in most cases, the type of cardiac event Molly experienced is “not survivable.”
“I hope we will get more answers soon,” she said, “and will be doing more genetic investigation for our family now we have possibly a clearer avenue to explore.”
For more on Melissa's life and family, keep reading.
Love Story
Melissa Mae Carlton and her husband Tom Carlton were childhood friends before reconnecting when they were older and getting married.
Growing Family
The couple share four kids Lily, Harry, Abigail and Molly.
Fatherly Love
Melissa—a professional photographer—often shared sweet photos of her family on social media.
Sisters
Daughters Molly and Lily would share sweet, sisterly moments together.
Halloween
The family embraced the Wicked craze with their own Wizard of Oz-inspired costumes.
’Tis the Season
Melissa, Tom and their children rang in the holiday season with an outdoor celebration.
Motherhood
Melissa shared every part of her motherhood journey for her fans to follow.