Kailia Posey, who rose to fame on the TLC reality series “Toddlers & Tiaras,” has died, her mom announced. She recently celebrated her 16th birthday.
“I don’t have words or any thoughts. A beautiful baby girl is gone,” Kailia’s mother, Marcy Posey Gatterman, said in a Facebook post on Monday, May 2.
“Please give us privacy as we mourn the loss of Kailia. My baby forever.” A cause of death has not been shared.
Kailia began doing pageants when she was 3 years old, her mother said on “Toddlers & Tiaras”
“Toddlers & Tiaras” aired for seven seasons beginning in 2009 and showcased young girls competing at beauty pageants.
“She’s a pro once she hits that stage,” her mom said on the show. “She’ll say she’s nervous, but once she hits that stage she is a pro. She’s going to beat you — every time.”
Kailia’s Instagram shows she continued to do pageants well after her time on the TLC show. She recently competed in the Miss Washington Teen USA pageant.
Many also know Kailia through a popular meme and GIF, in which she is called the “grinning girl.”
Others remember her for her “contagious smile” and being a “magnificent performer.”