Victoria Anne Simmons was the daughter of Joseph and Justine Simmons, who tragically passed away just hours after her birth. Here’s all we know about her sad story.
The pain of losing a child sticks with a person throughout their life, and for celebrities, the pain is more or less doubled as the media is a constant reminder of that loss. Just like Robert Redford lost his first son, Scott, Justine, and Joseph also know what it feels like to lose a child.
Their sixth child, Victoria Anne Simmons, sadly left the world just a few hours after she was born. What happened to Victoria, and why did she die? Keep reading to find out.
Who Was Victoria Anne Simmons?
Victoria Anne Simmons, also called “Vicki” by close family members, was the daughter of famous rapper and music producer Joseph Simmons and his wife, Justin Simmons.
She was born into a prominent family in the entertainment industry, with her father and mother being quite famous for their careers and appearances on their reality TV show, “Run House.”
She was born on September 26, 2006, at the Valley Hospital in Ridgewood, New Jersey. Sadly, Victoria died that same day, a couple of hours after she was delivered through a cesarean section.
Due to her untimely death, Victoria never got to experience fame, attend school, or become a person. She was the sixth child and third daughter of a family she had never been part of.
Victoria would have been 17 years old if she were alive in 2023.
What Caused Victoria Anne Simmons’ Death?
Victoria Anne Simmons died due to complications from a condition called omphalocele. Omphalocele is a medical condition in which the organs of the unborn child grow outside the body. This makes the baby prone to various complications and infections.
Depending on the severity, this condition can be treated and corrected to ensure that the baby’s life is saved. Sadly, in more severe cases like Victoria’s, the child has little to no chance of survival.
In Victoria’s case, she was born via a cesarean section and took her last breaths a few hours later. Due to her condition, she weighed only 4 pounds and 5 ounces. This significantly drops from the average newborn weight of 5.5 to 7 pounds.
Joseph and Justine Simmons’ Grief
Although Victoria had a brief life, her death had a considerable impact on the Simmons family. The camera crew and the production team for her family’s reality TV show, “Run’s House,” were allowed into the hospital to film them breaking the news to their other children.
The family intended to show viewers how they were dealing with the grief of Victoria’s loss, and some fans praised them for being so open. Others criticized the family and believed they should not have filmed such a sensitive moment.
In a book by her parents titled “Old School Love: And Why It Works,” the couple wrote about the loss of their daughter. In the book, her mum, Justine, wrote:
“I had carried Victoria Anne full-term; she was in me, a part of me. I could feel her every single day in me. Joey found comfort in God and being with me. I found comfort going under the covers. For the most part, on most days, I was trying to heal my body, heal my sadness, heal my sorrow, and heal my heart. I was lonely for my child.”
Justine Simmons.
This was quite sad to read by fans as the pain of losing a child is an unimaginable one.
Victoria Anne Simmons’ Siblings
Victoria was not the first but the sixth child of her parents. However, her parents eventually had seven children, including Victoria, who was late.
Her six siblings consist of three sisters and three brothers, some of whom were her half-siblings. Her sisters are Angela, Vanessa, and Miley, while her brothers are Daniel, Russell, and Joseph Junior.
Daniel is most commonly referred to by his nickname “Diggy,” while Russell and Joseph Junior are often called “Russy” and “Jojo.” Vanessa, Angela, and Joseph are all half-siblings from their father’s previous relationships, while Miley was adopted almost a year after Victoria died. She was adopted in 2007 when she was only a month old.
Victoria Anne Simmons only lived for a few hours, but the love her family has for her is unmatched. They are not fully healed, as it’s almost impossible to be, but they are on the right track. They honor her memory with smiles and joy on birthdays and during interviews.