Rosie’s  
Love Lives On

In her short but beautiful life, Baby Rosie filled the world around her with joy, laughter, and boundless love. Though her time with us was brief, her radiant spirit continues to shine through the memories of her family and the mission to raise awareness about Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood (SUDC).

This site is a tribute to Rosie's legacy—one of love, hope, and an unwavering commitment to bringing SUDC to the forefront and ensuring no family in the future endures this loss without answers.

WHAT IS SUDC

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Rosie’s Story

Rosalie Parisa Damavandy, lovingly known as "Baby Rosie," was an incredibly joyful, playful, and loving child who adored her parents, two older siblings, and everyone she encountered. Her name, meaning "beautiful little rose" in French and "angelic" in Farsi, perfectly captured her essence. On May 21st, 2024, Rosie's bright, joyful spirit was unexpectedly taken from us. Despite being a healthy, thriving little girl, Rosie became one of the 525 children lost each year to Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood (SUDC), a condition that strikes without warning and leaves families grappling for answers. While her passing has left an unimaginable void in our family and a painful silence where there was once her sweet laughter, we are channeling our immense love for her into raising awareness and supporting research for SUDC. We work to shed light on this devastating yet neglected medical condition to prevent more families from facing this tragedy in honor of Rosie's beautiful legacy.

Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood

Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood (SUDC) is a rare and tragic condition in which a seemingly healthy child over the age of 12 months dies without a known cause. Unlike Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), which affects infants, SUDC occurs in toddlers and older children, often during sleep. The condition remains poorly understood, and research into its causes is ongoing. Families affected by SUDC often seek support and awareness to better understand this devastating loss and to help further research into preventing such tragedies in the future.

Learn More at sudc.org

525

children in the U.S. were affected by sudden unexplained death in 2022, occurring in:

279

Children ages of 1-4 years

143

Teens ages of 15-18 years

Children ages of 5-9 years

children ages of 10-14 years

The Lack of an ICD Code Keeps SUDC out of Mortality Statistics.

Each year, at least 525 young Americans are claimed by this condition, but we fear the problem may me much larger because no formal diagnostic category for SUDC exists in the International Classification of Diseases (ICD), which hinders accurate reporting.

Age 1-4

Unintentional Injury 1,291

Congenital Anomalies 444

Homicide 343

SUDC
‍279

Malignant Neoplasm 271

Influenza & Pneumonia 129

Heart Disease 106

Covid-19
101

Age 5-9

Unintentional Injury 731

Malignant Neoplasms 402

Congenital Anomalies 241

Homicide 180

Influenza & Pneumonia 77

Heart Disease 74

SUDC
65

Covid-19
62

See Complete 10 Leading Causes of Death Chart

If SUDC had an ICD code, it would rank as the 4th leading cause of death in 1-4 yo kids and 7th in 5-9yo. To establish an ICD code for SUDC, we need to support rigorous research, advocate for recognition within the medical community, and collaborate with health authorities to improve data collection and awareness.

Spread Kindness

Rosie showed us what pure joy and unconditional love truly are. Her legacy lives on through small acts of kindness, whether a smile or a helping hand. Do something kind today and share it with us to inspire others.

Upcoming Events

Rosie's Walk: Stride for SUDC

Fundraiser

Dear family, friends, and community, help us make May - the month of Rosie’s passing - a month of hope. A time to come together to celebrate Rosie’s bright spirit, the love she continues to inspire, and to take steps toward a future where we have the answers to prevent SUDC.

View

Saturday, May 17, 2025

10:30am - 12:30pm

Clemyjontri Park

6317 Georgetown Pike, McLean, VA 22101

“We can no longer accept the unacceptable. No healthy child should die unexpectedly and without explanation in the face of today’s medical and scientific advancements. We will not rest until we have answers.”

Florencia and Al Damavandy

Rosalie’s Parents

“There is very little federal funding for basic science research into the underlying medical vulnerabilities of SIDS and SUDC. Our research is essentially supported by the families who infants and children have died without a clear cause, which strikes me as a further injustice”

Dr. Richard Goldstein

Director of the Robert’s Program

“At this time, we do not know what causes SUDC, how to predict it, or how to prevent it. We hope that future research will identify means by which SUDC can be prevented.”