Wellington toddler dies unexpectedly, family in shock

Tiana was the type of child who brought everyone together, her mum said. Photo / Supplied

A Wellington mother is in mourning after her toddler unexpectedly died after showing signs of being tired.

Tiana Milosia Waipuna-a-rangi Odell-Petueli-Kirifi, who was nearly 2 years old, suddenly died this month not long after her family took her to the doctor, noticing she seemed slightly under the weather.

"She was just very tired," said her mother, Samantha Odell.

"That's the only symptom she had, her vital signs were fine . . . I'm still trying to figure out what happened.

"Her heart just stopped beating on its own."

Tiana was always dancing, her mother said. Photo / Supplied

Odell said she was "still in shock" over Tiana's death.

The coroner will determine how Tiana died, but doctors told Odell it may have been a virus.

"She was fine one day and then the next it just happened."

The whole ordeal happened over just a few hours - Tiana was taken to the doctor for some blood tests "and then she passed away, that's basically all we know".

Tiana was Odell's only child, and it is the second tragedy she has faced in a short time, having lost a baby during pregnancy last September. Tiana was "a very happy child".

"She was the most easiest baby, she was full of life, always on her feet."

Odell described her daughter as "a lot older for her age".

"She was very on to it ... she was a perfect baby. Healthy as anything, no problems."

Mother Samantha Odell said Tiana was a "perfect baby". Photo / Facebook

Tiana made everyone happy and was the type of child who never stayed still, "always climbing things and running around", said her father, Tulo Kirifi-Petueli.

"She didn't live her whole but lived her life while she had it," he said.

Odell said Tiana lit up the room with her smile and laugh, and used to make friends with random people.

"[She] always had to stop when we saw dogs, birds and cats."

The night before her death, Tiana was "happy", dancing and stealing her mother's chocolates.

Odell was still struggling to absorb what had happened.

"I haven't felt it yet."

Dad Tulo Kirifi Petueli said Tiana made everyone happy. Photo / Supplied

The rest of the family were not coping well, she said.

"I don't think anyone is coping with this to be honest."

Odell said it felt like a dream when Tiana died.

"It was very fast, it happened too fast. I didn't believe it for a very long time, even though I held her in my arms I still couldn't believe that it had happened."

She felt completely numb at the time, and still felt that way.

Loved ones have taken to Facebook to share messages of support and condolences, telling Tiana to "rest in heaven little angel".

"Tiana will be well cared for by all your whānau waiting for her," one person wrote.

Many offered prayers for the grieving family.

Tiana seemed tired on Friday last week and was taken for tests at the doctor. Later that day, she was dead. Photo / Facebook

Odell and her family are Māori-European while Tiana's father is Tokelauan, so the funeral had "every type of person that you could imagine".

"She comes from two big beautiful families. She is Māori, Tuvaluan, Tokelauan and Kiribati. She brought so many cultures together.

"Her funeral service was an example of that. So many people attended her funeral service - so much that people had to stand up in the back.

"She was the sort of child that brought everyone together."