Tragic death of a little angel

Brooklyn Wright... toddler’s sudden death left family heartbroken

Tot’s Christmas presents donated to charity
AN Oldham family has been left heartbroken by the sudden death of a much-loved toddler just before Christmas.

Relatives of 18-month-old Brooklyn Dylan Wright — described as a little angel — have now donated her presents that were waiting under the Christmas tree to charity to benefit other children in her memory.

Devastated mum Sarah Cioffi had no idea that little Brooklyn was ill when she put her to bed a week last Sunday, but she was unable to wake her the next morning.

The 21-year-old said: “She was a bit poorly but nothing a normal child doesn’t have. She had the sniffles for two days and then seemed fine. I put her to bed on the Sunday night and she never woke up. I found her and it was such a giant shock.

“It was so sudden that it was like a cot death. A post-mortem had to be done to find out the cause and it was bronchopneumonia.

“We didn’t have a clue. She was not even acting ill and was still playing like a child does. We were told there was nothing really we could have done.

“I did some research and found out that a child under the age of five dies every 20 seconds from pneumonia but it’s not as well known as meningitis so people don’t know what to look for.

“We had brought all her Christmas presents and it’s been difficult but they have gone to a charity that will distribute them to children.

It gives me a lot of comfort to know that they will get enjoyment from them.”

Brooklyn’s funeral takes place tomorrow at 10am at St Patrick’s Church in Oldham town centre, where Sarah’s great-grandparents are buried.

Sarah works at a Co-op in Huddersfield and it was her 21st birthday only two days after her daughter died.

Paying tribute she said: “Everyone who knows her said she was a little angel. She was not a crying baby and we never had any problems with her. She was always happy. There were not even any times that I remember her crying.

“She was always happy, smiling and bubbly no matter what the situation. She was a very well loved child and was well looked after.

“It’s hit everyone hard. We are coping in our own separate ways. Some people find it difficult to talk about her and others prefer to talk about her. It’s still very early.”

Brooklyn had recently become a big fan of Pingu and slept every night with a cushion with a little sheep on that was a Christmas present last year.

Sarah said: “Until her last day she had it with her. She couldn’t sleep without it. It was her comforter. Wherever she was asleep it was there.”

Sarah’s family originally came from Oldham but moved to Huddersfield where she now lives with Brooklyn’s older brother Bailey Mason Wright (4) and their father Gary Wright (23).

Gary is also from Oldham originally where his parents, Mary Bilton and Gary Wright, live.

Gary serves in the Army and his friends will be attending the funeral in uniform, which Brooklyn loved to see her dad wearing.

Brooklyn leaves a big family, which includes both sets of grandparents and lots of aunties and uncles, and had even made friends her own age in her short time despite not being old enough for playgroup.