Marisha and Riley were overjoyed as they welcomed their baby girl into the world a week before Christmas. It would soon turn into the worst day of their lives

A young family lost their apparently healthy newborn daughter shortly after she started showing a worrying symptom just days before Christmas.

Marisha Smith, 19, and Riley Raynor, 21, welcomed their daughter Nova on December 18 after a planned caesarean section at Mount Gambier and Districts Health Service, in rural South Australia.

Nova’s heartbroken grandmother, Danni Smith, recalled that she was born “healthy and pink and beautiful” with an Apgar score of 9.9 out of 10.

“That night they went to sleep and the nurses came in to do their examination and later Marish looked down and saw the baby’s lips were blue,” Mrs Smith told police. Adelaide Advertiser.

‘She panicked, ran outside and said, ‘There’s something wrong with my daughter’ – and a team of 15 midwives and paediatricians reportedly worked on her for over an hour.’

Nova’s pulse was lost three times before she was announced dead at 2:45 a.m. on December 19.

Mrs Smith said the young parents, who have another daughter – Malayah, were “beside themselves” with grief.

‘They were expecting to take baby Nova home from the hospital, they had the whole house decorated. “For all of this to happen the week before Christmas, we had to put on a brave face for the other children,” she said.

Nova (pictured) appeared healthy at birth, but died hours after her mother noticed her lips were turning blue

Nova’s ‘little heart and brain’ were sent for testing for abnormalities as doctors tried to determine her cause of death.

Both Ms Smith’s daughter and her partner have been left ‘heartbroken and shattered’ as Mr Raynow, who works at a crayfish processing factory, cannot return to work.

‘Family friends gave them a beautiful bear with angel wings and Nova’s prints on it and he sleeps with it every night. He is heartbroken, as is his mother,” Mrs Smith said.

She has one GoFundMe to help the couple cover funeral costs and relieve some of the financial pressure they face during their grief.

“During this incredibly challenging time, parents are struggling to cope emotionally,” Ms Smith wrote on the page.

“Nova’s sudden passing has left us all unprepared, and the costs associated with the funeral have added to our burden.

“The parents are currently overwhelmed with grief and unwilling to return to work, making it an extremely difficult time.”

Nova’s ‘little heart and brain’ were sent for abnormality checks as doctors tried to determine her cause of death (pictured, Nova’s mother, father and big sister)

More than 50 donors have already raised more than $3,000 for the young family, including an anonymous donation of $1,500.

“We are deeply grateful for your kindness, compassion and generosity at this heartbreaking time,” Ms. Smith wrote.

“Your support will help us create a lasting tribute to Nova and give us the comfort of knowing that our community is with us in our grief.

“Thank you for being a source of strength and hope.”