A heartbroken couple have spoken about the pain of losing their baby daughter to cot death.

Mark-Antony Jones and Lucy-Rae Tamulevicius said losing four-month-old Xara-Mae Melody Jones is so hard to understand because there is no reason for it happening.

The couple, of Chapel Mews, off Alma Street, Sheerness, have decided to start fundraising for The Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths.

Xara-Mae, whose funeral took place yesterday (Thursday), died on July 29.

She was the couple’s first child.

Mark-Antony, who works as an entertainer, said the morning had started like any other.

Xara-Mae was in her bouncer watching television when they noticed she was falling asleep in the chair, so they put her to bed at about 10.15am.

Just 15 minutes later, Mark-Antony popped in to see his daughter. He said: “Xara-Mae was lying on her front with her arm trapped underneath her. I turned her over and she was blue.”

The 30-year-old picked her up and tried to resuscitate her, while Lucy-Rae phoned the ambulance. Minutes later, paramedics arrived and took her to hospital.

The couple were not allowed to go in the ambulance and were driven to Medway Maritime Hospital by police.

When they arrived, they were told by staff nothing more could be done for their daughter.

Lucy-Rae, 22, said they had already talked about what they were going to buy their daughter for her first Christmas.

Mark-Antony, who has his daughter’s name tattooed on his wrist, said he and Lucy-Rae have not been able to face going into Xara-Mae’s bedroom yet.

He said: “She was so happy. She was everything to us and beautiful.

“If they had said there was something wrong with her brain or heart we would think at least she hadn’t suffered – but to find out there’s no reason for her death it breaks your heart and you can’t understand it.”

Lucy-Rae added: “We have got lots of friends and family around to support us. Everyone has been so supportive – even people who we haven’t heard from for a while are suddenly there for you.”

The funeral took place near Stoke-on-Trent, where Mark-Antony is from.

Xara-Mae was buried at Newcastle-under-Lyme Cemetery where her uncle, Mark-Antony’s brother Gareth, is buried.

Mark-Antony and Lucy-Rae have decided to start raising money for The Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths.

The charity supports bereaved families as well as funding research and working to prevent sudden deaths and promoting health.

They have organised a memorial afternoon and fundraiser which will take place at the Heights of Alma, in Alma Street, Sheerness, on Saturday, August 28, from 4pm.

They will have a book for people to sign in memory of Xara-Mae and hope to collect money for the charity. Anybody is welcome to attend.

Lucy-Rae said: “We want to do the best we can for the charity to make sure other people don’t go through the same thing.

“We want to find answers to why it happens.”