‘Toddlers & Tiaras’ star Kailia Posey died by suicide at 16, her family says

Kailia Posey, a former star of the reality show “Toddlers & Tiaras,” died by suicide on Monday, her family confirmed, saying they are “completely shattered.”

Posey was 16.

“Although she was an accomplished teenager with a bright future ahead of her, unfortunately in one impetuous moment, she made the rash decision to end her earthly life,” her family said in a statement.

The family said Posey’s death leaves them “with more questions than answers.”

“We ask for privacy as we attempt to find ways to cope with the senseless loss of our beautiful girl,” their statement continues. “Our hope is that she will be remembered for her sweet spirit and the way she touched so many lives in a positive way.”

Posey appeared on multiple episodes of TLC’s “Toddlers & Tiaras” — which showcases children competing in child beauty pageants — in 2011-12.

“She won countless crowns & trophies after competing on the pageant circuit her entire life,” Kailia’s family said, adding that she recently finished as the second runnerup in the Miss Teen Washington event.

“Her highly acclaimed talent as a contortionist had already led to professional touring job offers, and she had recently been selected to be a cheerleader at her high school next fall,” the statement says. “A longtime aviation enthusiast, her dream was to continue in the entertainment industry while pursuing her commercial pilot license.”

Her mother, Marcy Posey Gatterman, first announced her daughter’s death in a Facebook post late Monday night, writing, “A beautiful baby girl is gone.” She didn’t release a cause of death at the time.

The family announced the cause of death through their statement as a way of providing answers for Posey’s friends and admirers, they said.

In addition to competing in pageants, Posey appeared in Netflix’s 2019 horror film “Eli.” She was also known for being the subject of the popular “Grinning Girl” meme, which shows Posey as a young child giving a huge smile.

Her family created the Kailia Posey Teen Crisis Intervention Fund after her death, with donations meant to provide “resources to help students in crisis.”

“It is our desire that her departure from this Earth will not be in vain and that other lives can be saved,” the family said.