"Our princess Mariana Reese Sifrit gained her angel wings at 8:41 a.m. this morning in her daddy's arms and her mommy right beside her," Nicole Sifrit posted on her Facebook page Tuesday morning. "She is now no longer suffering and is with the Lord.
“In her 18 days of life she made a huge impact on the world and we hope with Mariana’s Story we save numerous newborns (sic) life (sic).”
Mariana was born July 1 and was healthy. A week later her parents noticed she wasn't eating. They rushed her to a hospital and doctors said she had contracted meningitis HSV1.
Related: Parents warn others of virus that can kill newborns from a kiss
Doctors said she most likely got the virus from someone who had a cold sore, likely from a kiss.
Both her parents tested negative for the virus. According to the Meningitis Research Foundation, symptoms can appear in any order and one person may not get them all.
"It's horrific," Nicole Sifrit told WQAD. "Within two hours she had quit breathing and all of her organs just started to fail."
The family has started a GoFundMe page to help with medical expenses. Nearly $5,000 has been raised toward its $30,000 goal.
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