Kailia Posey of the ‘grinning girl’ GIF fame, passes away at 16

Posey participated in the popular reality show Toddlers & Tiaras when she was just five.

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In 2012, Kailia Posey became globally recognisable after a snapshot of her grinning face, taken when she was just five, went viral as a meme and a GIF.

On Monday, child reality TV star and social media personality Kailia Posey was found dead. The 16-year-old rose to fame at a young age when she participated in the hit reality show Toddlers & Tiaras.

In 2012, she became globally recognisable after a snapshot of her grinning face, taken when she was just five, went viral as a meme and a GIF.

After Posey’s death, her mother posted a photo of Posey from her prom and wrote, “I don’t have words or any thoughts. A beautiful baby girl is gone. Please give us privacy as we mourn the loss of Kailia. My baby forever.”

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As reported by TMZ, Posey’s family confirmed that she died by suicide. Posey’s family told TMZ, “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.”

They also added, “She won countless crowns & trophies after competing on the pageant circuit her entire life … 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.”

Posey’s latest social media post, which was made on April 30, 2022, shows her shooting a clear arrow shot with her feet. Another post, that was also made on the same day, shows her doing handstand tricks. These videos were shared on her new account, titled @kailiacontortion.