Matt and Abby Howard are coming up to talk about the death of their third child.
In an Instagram post on Saturday, Sept. 27, the couple, who are influencers and podcast presenters, stated that they are grieving the death of their newborn girl, Abby, 26, who was around 17 weeks pregnant.
“It is with very heavy hearts that we share the loss of our baby girl, born far too soon,” the parents wrote beside a photo of their hands joined in a hospital bed.
“During a regular pregnancy checkup, our doctor couldn’t discover a heartbeat. Shortly after, they brought us in for an ultrasound, and the technician whispered words we will never forget: “I am very sorry I do not have good news,” the statement added. “That is when we got the gender reveal we never hoped for and also the news that our baby had a genetic condition that took her life around 17 weeks’ gestation.”
“The news felt incomprehensible. Abby and Matt, 27, stated, “The grief is absolutely devastating.” “But we are truly grateful for the time we had with her. We still have hope. Hope has continued to come up for us in so many different ways.”
“For now, we will grieve and consider how to celebrate her life offline. Thoughts and prayers are very appreciated.” Thank you all for celebrating this precious life with us over the last 17 weeks,” the pair ended.
The Arizona-based entertainment makers informed PEOPLE in August that they were expecting a child. They have two kids, Griffin (3 years old) and August (2 years old).
The Howards frequently discuss pregnancy, their relationship, and parenting their two kids on their Unplanned Podcast.
They’ve frequently expressed a desire to keep their children’s lives private while keeping a social media presence.
In November 2024, the high school sweethearts, who married in 2019, told PEOPLE that privacy is their first priority, and they collaborate to manage their content properly. They stated that they do not post any content unless both parties sign off on it first.
“Privacy is very important to our family, so we discuss it,” Abby said then. “Our children’s health is really vital. We discuss details about our location, whether we are traveling or at home.