A MUM has told of the devastating moment she woke up to find her five-year-old daughter dead beside her.
Lila Marsland died after being found unresponsive by mum Rachael, 36, as they shared a bed together on December 28 last year.
Paramedics rushed to their home in Hyde, Manchester, but it is believed little Lila had been dead for several hours.
Her sixth birthday was just two weeks away.
Recalling the horror ordeal, Rachael told the Manchester Evening News: "I woke up and she was dead next to me. I rang for an ambulance but she had been dead a few hours.
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"They gave her CPR; they arrived within minutes but it was already too late. It’s horrendous. I still can’t believe it’s happened.
"She was kind to everyone; I would take her to school and pick her up and she would be hugging all the teachers. It would take her 30 minutes to leave."
Rachael has revealed how she and Lila's dad Daz, 41, still don't know how she died, meaning they can't properly grieve their loss.
An inquest into Lila's death has been opened, with a full hearing due to go ahead in November.
Mourners packed out a church as the family held a funeral service a month after her death.
Recalling the service, Rachael said it was "the perfect day" for her daughter, with everyone from her primary school in attendance.
The family have now set up charity Lila's Light, which aims to create bereavement bags tailored for young children who have lost a sibling.
Rachael said her family hope to "keep Lila's name alive" and give them "something positive to focus on".
