Mum’s devastation after daughter, nine, fell asleep on sofa and never woke up

A mum has been left devastated after her healthy "beautiful" daughter died after falling asleep on the sofa.

Jessica Woolhouse, nine, had been complaining of a headache, but her family "could never have imagined what happened next".

Her mum Tracey Walerzak said she was "so full of life" and had loved singing and dancing.

Jessica, from Walsall, West Midlands, had taken a nap on the sofa at home last month after feeling under the weather.

But she was found unconscious by her grandma and could not be woken up.

The youngster was rushed to hospital where it was discovered she had suffered a brain haemorrhage caused by an undiagnosed weak blood vessel in her brain.

Primary school pupil Jessica was rushed to hospital where medics battled to save her with emergency surgery, but her family were forced to make the heartbreaking decision to switch off her life support machines the following day.

Jessica, who had two brothers, Josh, aged 18, and Jake, aged 11, was described as ‘healthy and fun-loving’ and her family said there were no warning signs anything was wrong.

Mum Tracey, 35, a shop supervisor, paid tribute to her ‘best friend’ during a pink and white-themed funeral held for Jessica yesterday.

Mum-of-three Tracey said: "Jessica was beautiful, and me and her dad were devoted to her.

"We had two boys so she was very much wanted.

"She was so happy and she loved telling me about her day at school, friends and her teachers.

"She would attend car shows and she made some very special friends through Ford Mania.

"She was happy and beautiful – she was such a joy to be around.

"She lived for the moment and she taught me that life is very precious.

"She was always friendly and she was loving. She was amazing and I am still so proud to have had such a wonderful daughter.

"I am proud to be her mother and will love her forever."

Weak brain blood vessels affect just one in 1,000 people and which can burst at any time if you are coughing, sneezing or straining.

Tracey had thought her daughter was poorly and she was being cared for by her grandma Janet Walerzak, 61, on October 21.

But after she could not be woken, the youngster was rushed to Walsall Manor Hospital where tests showed she had suffered a brain haemorrhage.

Jessica was then transferred to Birmingham Children’s Hospital where doctors performed a four-and-a-half hour operation to try and save her.

But unfortunately there was nothing that could be done and her life support machine was turned off the following day on October 22.

Tracey said: "Jessica’s grandma found her on the sofa.

"She’d been sick and complaining of a horrendous headache.

"But we thought she’d just gone to sleep, that she was just poorly."

Speaking of the days leading up to her death, Tracey’s partner Ian Taylor said: "We thought she was just sleeping.

"We could never have imagined what happened next.

"But we couldn’t rouse her after several attempts, and so called paramedics.

"Doctors told us she had a very slim chance of survival – even if she had been on the doorstep of the hospital and it happened, it would have been too late.

"In the days leading up to her death Jess was enjoying a normal, happy life doing the sort of things any other child would. There were no signs she was ill.

"She was full of life, singing and dancing. She was a lover of music, she always had her headphones on doing little selfie videos.

"My lad is 10 and a few days before they had been to the cinema and playing Xbox together.

"Then this happened – it’s absolutely tragic.

"Everybody loved Jess."

Jessica was laid to rest at St Emmanuel Church in Bentley, West Midlands, yesterday with all funeral attendees wearing pink or displaying TeamJess, the family’s fundraising hashtag.

A white horse-drawn carriage carrying her coffin lead the cortege.

Tracey said: "The way the brain haemorrhage took my daughter so suddenly made me realise that we should never take life for granted.

"It has made me realise that life is short and to treasure what’s important in your life.

"The day was very emotional, but I wanted the best for her.

"White horses pulled the cortege, and she’d have loved the horses.

"She would have been so proud of me."

A fundraising appeal set up in honour of Jessica has raised more than £1,000 for Birmingham Children’s Hospital. To donate, click here.

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