Embedded Files
We are honoring the memory of our daughter Casey by hosting, Run for Casey. All proceeds will go to The Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood Foundation. SUDC is the 5th leading cause of death among children 1-4, and yet receives no public funding. Please help us to envision a world where no more children are lost to SUDC.
This webpage was created to honor the memory of our beautiful, funny, smart, and sweet daughter Casey.
Casey Allyn Young 9/1/09-6/3/11
My name is Ellen Young and my family and I are Brooklyn to New Jersey transplants. This is our daughter Casey. She died suddenly and unexpectedly on June 3rd, 2011. She was 21 months old. Casey was a happy, healthy, beautiful little girl. On the morning of Friday, June 3rd 2011, she woke up with a slight fever. She had not slept well the night before, and was a bit out of sorts. We packed up that morning to head out to Family Friday in big sister Jordan's classroom. Casey was always so excited to run around the classroom and cause a little havoc. As the day wore on, she seemed to be feeling a bit better. She ate a bit of lunch and we even had a visit from Casey's Grandpa, where they played and built block towers together. At noon, I brought her upstairs for her afternoon nap. I sang her songs as she put her head on my shoulder. “Good night Case, I love you, sweet dreams.” She scooped her little elephant up to nuzzle in her neck, and went to sleep. It was just like any other day. I checked on her after an hour and everything was fine.
At the two-hour mark, not an unusual time for her to nap, I went to wake her up. I found her. The details that come after are ones that I try not to share with anyone, not even family, as I try and protect them from the images and trauma that I live and struggle with on a daily basis. Casey never woke up from that nap. This was the day that changed our lives forever. Our daughter Casey died on June 3rd, 2011. She was 21 months old. Why? How? What happened to Casey? The official cause of death was ruled to be natural and unexplained; SUDC (Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood). We do not know, even to this day, how or why she died. The pain of losing her has been unimaginable, and the fear of not knowing how and why is paralyzing. There are too many families that go through this as well. Soon after Casey’s death, we found the SUDC Foundation. They were our lifeline, and continue to be for so many families affected by SUDC. Every year, at least 400 children die for no known reason. Even after a thorough investigation and autopsy, families, medical professionals and death investigators have no answers on why a healthy and thriving child passes away suddenly and unexpectedly. The only answer we have currently is Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood (SUDC). SUDC is one of the most under-recognized medical tragedies of our time. The SUDC Foundation is the only organization worldwide whose purpose is to promote awareness, advocate for research and support those affected by SUDC. The SUDC Foundation provides all services at no cost to the people it serves. While it is the fifth leading category of death among children ages 1 to 4, SUDC has received no public funding to date. It is my dream and hope that no other family will ever have to go through what we went through, and continue to go through. I envision a world free of SUDC. Please help us make this a reality.
Page updated
Report abuse