Instagram influencer mum shares her heartbreak as her 'precious' three-year-old son dies in 'tragic accident'

A blogger, influencer and mum-of-three has announced that her son has died at just aged three in a "tragic accident".

Mother-of-three Laura Merritt Walker, who runs the lifestyle blog Merritt & Style, has taken to her Instagram page to tell her followers that her youngest son Callahan died earlier this month.

"We are completely broken-hearted to share that we lost our precious Callahan in a tragic accident last week," she wrote in a joint post with her husband David Walker. The post included photos of the trio together, along with a photo of the three holding hands in hospital and also a video of their late son.

Laura and David have now set up the Callahan Walker Foundation in his memory. So, who are the Walker family, what happened to Callahan and what tributes have been left to him? Here's what you need to know.

Who are the Walker family?

The Walker family are from Texas, United States. Laura runs the lifestyle blog Merritt & Style alongside her sister Cristie Taylor. The bio on the Merritt & Style Instagram page, which has 235,000 followers, reads: "We're sisters that love sharing our affordable and splurge-worthy favourites! Come hang with our fam in stories."

Callahan regularly featured in his mum social media content, which included many photos of the family together as they went about their daily life. and most recently. In October, Laura shared images from Callahan's third birthday celebrations, which included an Oktoberfest-inspired birthday party.

They had their own 'Caltoberfest' to mark the occasion and, posting at the time, Laura wrote: "Happy 3rd Birthday to our precious boy. We had the absolute best time with this party theme!! So grateful for these wonderful memories and getting to celebrate Callahan turning 3!"

Laura and David had three boys; Beckham, aged 10, Chamberlain, age seven, and Callahan, who was three.

What happened to Callahan Walker?

The full statement from Laura and David, which was posted on Monday February 12, reads: "We are completely broken-hearted to share that we lost our precious Callahan in a tragic accident last week. He was such a blessing and brought so much joy to our whole family.

"Cal-Bear was absolutely adored by his big brothers and loved them beyond measure. As parents we are completely shattered at the loss of our baby boy. We take comfort knowing he is being held in the arms of Jesus. We would be honored to have your prayers for peace and strength over our family during this impossible time."

Texas Police confirmed to the Daily Mail that officers "responded to a drowning call" that involved Merritt Walker and her husband but no further details are yet available. 

A post on the Callahan Walker Fund website, which has been set up by Laura and David following his death, reads: "Callahan lived a “big” little life. May his legacy be that he helped make heaven crowded." The fund has been created in Callahan's name "to serve and love families walking through the impossible with their children", according to the website.

What tributes have been left to Callahan Walker?

The Instagram post from Laura and David has been flooded with tributes to Callahan, as well as well wishes for the Walker family.

One person said: "I’ll be praying for you and your family, this absolutely breaks my heart because I know this heartache and I’m just so sorry." Another said: "All the moms on the internet are surrounding you with a massive hug. There is nothing we can say to stop the pain. We are just so sorry."

One fan who has also suffered loss wrote: "Please reach out if you ever need to talk with anyone who is walking the same walk. We are a part of this club that sucks but it's so much better when you can talk without other moms who know exactly how you feel".

Another person said: "I keep writing and erasing what I write because I truly have no idea what to even say. I write all of this tears streaming down my face. My heart is absolutely shattered for all of you and I’m Praying for a comfort that can only come from Jesus. We all love y’all so much!"