<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="13806120" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="kailia-posey" source="Orion">Kailia Posey</keyword>'s mother said that her daughter sent her a blanket prior to Posey's death. </li><li>The former "<keyword id="13806119" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="toddlers-and-tiaras" source="Orion">Toddlers and Tiaras</keyword>" star died at age 16, her family told TMZ. </li></ul>The mother of former "Toddlers and Tiaras" star Kailia Posey said that her daughter sent her a gift in the mail that arrived <a href="https://www.insider.com/kailia-posey-toddlers-and-tiaras-dead-2022-5">shortly after Posey's death in early May</a>, E! News reported. Marcy Posey Gatterman told E! News that her daughter, who was 16 at the time of her death, saw a blanket on TikTok that she ordered and sent to her mother. According to Gatterman, the blanket arrived after her daughter's death. Gatterman said that the blanket had a note that read, "Dear Mom, even when I'm not close by, I want you to know I love and appreciate you. Always. Wrap yourself up in this and consider it a big hug. I love you."Posey, a student in Washington, was known online for appearing in a 2012 episode of the TLC series "Toddlers and Tiaras" when she was 5 years old. The episode showed Posey competing at the California Tropic Arizona pageant and eventually made her one of the series' most recognizable faces after an image of her grinning widely became a <a href="https://giphy.com/gifs/city-bus-doll-B0vFTrb0ZGDf2">popular reaction image and GIF</a>.In a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10227114914089870&amp;id=1567161742&amp;set=a.2181391425459">Facebook post on May 2</a>, Gatterman announced that her daughter had died. The next day, <a href="https://www.insider.com/kailia-posey-toddlers-and-tiaras-died-by-suicide-family-says-2022-5">Posey's family said that she had died by suicide</a> in a <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2022/05/03/toddlers-and-tiaras-star-kailia-posey-died-by-suicide-family-says/">statement to TMZ</a>.Posey continued competing in pageants as she grew older. She was the second runner-up in the Miss Teen Washington USA pageant, representing the city of Lynden, and, <a href="https://www.misswashingtonusa.com/2022-miss-washington-teen-usa-contestants/">according to her bio on the pageant website</a>, had been named to the Dean's List for the 2021-2022 school year. According to her family's statement to TMZ, Posey had also been selected to be a cheerleader at her high school for the upcoming fall. Gatterman told E! News that she <a href="https://www.eonline.com/news/1332213/kailia-poseys-mom-details-toddlers-tiaras-stars-final-days-before-her-tragic-death">appreciated the outpouring of support following her daughter's death</a>, and said that Posey's friends had started a <a href="http://recobrands.com/kailias_world/shop/home">teen crisis intervention fund called Kailia's World</a>."This is the worst thing a mother can go through," Gatterman told E! News. "Parents who have teenagers that have phones, check their phones. And if you're struggling, talk to your parents. They're not judging you. They're going to get you the help that you need, but we need to know what you need in order [to] get the help you need. Don't keep it inside."

Kailia Posey sent her mother a gift and note that arrived shortly after the 'Toddlers and Tiaras' star's death

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="13806120" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="kailia-posey" source="Orion">Kailia Posey</keyword>'s family told TMZ that the 16-year-old died by <keyword id="11898483" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="suicide" source="Orion">suicide</keyword>.</li><li>Posey's mother announced on Monday that the former "<keyword id="13806119" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="toddlers-and-tiaras" source="Orion">Toddlers and Tiaras</keyword>" star had died. </li></ul>Former "Toddlers and Tiaras" star Kailia Posey died by suicide, her family said in <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2022/05/03/toddlers-and-tiaras-star-kailia-posey-died-by-suicide-family-says/">a statement to TMZ on Tuesday</a>. Posey's mother, Marcy Posey Gatterman, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10227114914089870&amp;id=1567161742&amp;set=a.2181391425459">announced that her daughter had died in a Facebook post on Monday</a>. At the time, the family did not disclose the cause of Posey's death, asking for privacy. The next day, Posey's family told TMZ that the teenager had died by suicide."Although she was an accomplished teenager with a bright future ahead of her, unfortunately in one impetuous moment, she made the rash decision to end her earthly life," the family said in a statement to TMZ."She won countless crowns &amp; trophies after competing on the pageant circuit her entire life," the statement continued. "Her highly acclaimed talent as a contortionist had already led to professional touring job offers, and she had recently been selected to be a cheerleader at her high school next fall."Posey was best known for her appearance on the <keyword id="12062433" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="tlc" source="Orion">TLC</keyword> reality series "Toddlers and Tiaras," which ran from 2009 to 2013 and followed child pageant stars and their families. Posey appeared on a 2012 episode titled "California Tropic Arizona," and was five years old at the time.In the decade since the episode aired, Posey's face became recognizable across the internet: a <a href="https://giphy.com/gifs/city-bus-doll-B0vFTrb0ZGDf2">GIF</a> and image of her grinning widely and looking to the side went viral, and became a popular reaction image online. <div type="image" title="an image of five-year-old kailia posey grinning widely and looking to the side on toddlers and tiaras" height="846" width="1128" msid="91322147" hostid="261"></div>According to <a href="https://www.misswashingtonusa.com/2022-miss-washington-teen-usa-contestants/">Posey's bio on the Miss Washington Teen USA pageant website</a> — she was competing, representing the city of Lynden — she was a student at Lynden High School, where she was named to the Dean's List for the 2021-2022 school year. According to Facebook posts from her mother, Posey recently attended prom, and learned in April that she had been named to the Lynden High Football Cheer team. <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2022/05/03/toddlers-and-tiaras-star-kailia-posey-died-by-suicide-family-says/">TMZ reported</a> that Posey's family has established a fund, <a href="https://wcf.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create?funit_id=3608">called the "Kailia Posey Teen Crisis Intervention Fund,"</a> at the Whatcom Community Foundation. According to the website where the fund is listed, donations will be used to "get much needed resources to students in crisis." The fund description thanks those donating for "honoring Kailia's short, beautiful life by helping other people," and features an image of Posey edited to include a halo and wings."I don't have words or any thoughts," Gatterman, Posey's mother, wrote in the Facebook post announcing her death on Monday. "A beautiful baby girl is gone. Please give us privacy as we mourn the loss of Kailia. My baby forever."Posey's mother and stepfather did not respond to Insider's requests for comment.

'Toddlers and Tiaras' star Kailia Posey died by suicide, her family says

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="13806120" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="kailia-posey" source="Orion">Kailia Posey</keyword>, who appeared on "<keyword id="13806119" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="toddlers-and-tiaras" source="Orion">Toddlers and Tiaras</keyword>" as a young child, died at age 16.</li><li>Her mother posted on Facebook about her daughter's death, saying "a beautiful baby girl is gone."</li></ul>"Toddlers and Tiaras" star Kailia Posey died at 16, her mother announced on Facebook Monday evening. "I don't have words or any thoughts," Marcy Posey Gatterman <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10227114914089870&amp;id=1567161742&amp;set=a.2181391425459">shared on Facebook Monday</a>, accompanying the post with a photo of Posey in a golden gown at prom. "A beautiful baby girl is gone. Please give us privacy as we mourn the loss Kailia. My baby forever."Gatterman did not confirm the cause of death on Facebook.<a href="https://pagesix.com/2022/05/03/toddlers-tiaras-star-kailia-posey-dead-at-16/">Page Six reported</a> that there were reports online saying that Posey was involved in a car accident in Las Vegas, though it did not substantiate those reports. A spokesperson for the Las Vegas Police Department told Insider that the department had no knowledge of the alleged incident nor of Posey.On Facebook, Gatterman <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10227117607997216&amp;set=a.1546531194350&amp;type=3">changed her profile picture to an image of Kailia in a white gown,</a> smiling with her hands on her hips. The image was edited to show a halo above her head and white wings emerging from her back. Posey was best known for appearing on the <keyword id="12062433" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="tlc" source="Orion">TLC</keyword> series "Toddlers and Tiaras" when she was five years old in a 2012 episode titled "California Tropic Arizona." The TLC series, which ran from 2009 to 2013, followed child pageant contestants and their families, and generated spin-off series like "Here Comes Honey Boo Boo."In the years following, Posey become one of the most recognizable faces from the series thanks to a <a href="https://giphy.com/gifs/city-bus-doll-B0vFTrb0ZGDf2">GIF of her grinning widely</a> and looking to the side. The image is taken from Kailia's self-introduction in the episode."My name's Kaila, and I'm five year and a half," she said in the episode, before breaking into the now-iconic smile. In the episode, she also said that "winning" is her favorite part of pageants, "cause I like to win money."A decade after the episode aired, the image and GIF of her smiling are still popular reaction photos on social media. <div type="image" title="an image of five-year-old kailia posey grinning widely and looking to the side on toddlers and tiaras" height="846" width="1128" msid="91295218" hostid="261"></div>Posey recently competed in the Miss Washington Teen USA pageant, representing the city of Lynden. <a href="https://www.misswashingtonusa.com/2022-miss-washington-teen-usa-contestants/">According to her bio on the pageant website</a>, she was a student at Lynden High School, where she was named to the Dean's List for the 2020-2021 school year. Kailia aspired to study aviation in college and wanted to become a commercial pilot, the bio also noted."Kailia hopes to show members of her generation that they can positively impact the world if they are patient and work hard," her bio reads. According to Facebook posts from her mother, Posey learned in April that she had made the Lynden High Football Cheer team. She also recently attended prom.On Posey's most recent Instagram posts, social media users left comments expressing their sympathy. Her <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Ccs1t1cFHMr/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link">most recent Instagram post</a>, uploaded on April 23, showed her posing on a brightly lit staircase, and on Sunday, she <a href="https://www.instagram.com/kailiacontortion/">launched an Instagram account dedicated to her contortion skills.</a> "Can't even believe this has happened," "America's Got Talent" <a href="https://www.instagram.com/kadanbartrockett/">season 11 semifinalist and child magician Kadan Bart Rockett</a> commented on Posey's most recent post. "I'm praying for you guys to get through this.""Rest in peace," multiple other comments on Posey's post read. Others offered well wishes in the comments of posts on a <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@kailiaposey">TikTok account that appeared to belong to Posey</a>, telling her to "rest easy" and saying that she would be missed. Others offered their condolonces in the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10227114914089870&amp;id=1567161742&amp;set=a.2181391425459">comments of Gatterman's Facebook post</a> announcing Posey's death. Posey's mother and step-father did not immediately respond to Insider's requests for comment. The Lynden Police Department was not able to immediately return Insider's request for comment.

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Kailia Posey sent her mother a gift and note that arrived shortly after the 'Toddlers and Tiaras' star's death

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'Toddlers and Tiaras' star Kailia Posey died by suicide, her family says

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'Toddlers and Tiaras' star Kailia Posey dead at 16, her family says

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