Influencer Lauren Cummings Johnson welcomes baby boy 18 months after nine-month-old daughter’s tragic death

Influencer Lauren Cummings Johnson has given birth to a baby boy, just over a year after their nine-month-old daughter’s tragic death.

The social media star, 34, revealed via Instagram this week that she and her husband Wilson Johnson had welcomed their son, James Wilson Johnson Jr, on October 7.

‘Born October 7 at 3.06pm, weighing 8lbs 12oz, just like his big sister in heaven,’ she wrote.

‘We’ve been soaking up every second of this sweet newborn bubble, but we’re so excited to finally share that he’s here. 

‘We are all doing so well and are completely over the moon that he is finally here with us.

‘Thank you all so much for checking in, praying for us and sending so much love. Our hearts are so full. Thank You, Jesus, for this precious gift.’

She shared a series of photos from the hospital, including one of her cuddling the newborn as Wilson stood next to them.

Another snap showed the infant sleeping on her chest while a third saw the parents staring lovingly at their son as he lay in a carrier.

It comes 18 months after their daughter, Lily Ann, died at only nine months old. 

Lily Ann was born in July 2024 with citrullinemia type 1, a rare condition that causes a person to be unable to break down protein and leads to dangerous ammonia buildup in the body.

Cummings Johnson documented much of Lily Ann’s battle online with her 62,000 followers.

She first shared the news that the infant had been admitted into the ICU three days after her birth, explaining at the time that the youngster’s health had been ‘declining’ but they had ‘no answers’ as to what was wrong.

While doctors initially thought she had an infection, they diagnosed her with the rare condition roughly 18 hours later.

One week after her birth, Cummings Johnson spoke about how difficult it was to see her baby girl ‘so sick’ in a heartbreaking tribute.

She shared a snap of her holding her daughter, who was surrounded by various tubes and wires, as Wilson stood by her side. 

‘Lily Ann turned one week old yesterday – we should be posting her cute newborn photos from home but unfortunately that is not our story right now,’ she wrote. 

‘We haven’t had the words or the strength to share pictures. We have also wanted to protect her privacy and not show anything with all her tubes.’

‘I want you guys to picture her beautiful healthy face when you pray for her. But this was a BIG moment for us as a family, so we wanted to share – WE FINALLY GOT TO HOLD OUR GIRL,’ she went on.

‘Please keep praying for us and her. It’s so heartbreaking being here and seeing her so sick. 

‘Lily Ann, you are so brave and SO LOVED! Happy one week baby girl – mommy and daddy are fighting with you and have your back no matter what! We are so proud to be your parents and love you so much.’

Just under a month after her birth, Lily Ann was discharged from the hospital.

But on April 7, 2025, nine months after her birth, the couple shared the news in a heartbreaking Instagram post that Lily Ann had passed away.

‘Our sweet Lily Ann went to be with Jesus on Sunday, April 6. She was exactly nine months,’ they wrote.

‘Nine months of our beautiful miracle, nine months of a love, joy and sunshine in our home and hearts. 

‘We are so incredibly grateful for the promise of Heaven and the hope we have in our Heavenly Father.

‘His ways are higher and better than ours, even when we don’t understand it. He blessed us every single day for the past nine months and we will never be the same.’

They described it as the ‘honor of their lifetime’ to get to share Lily Ann ‘with the world’ and described their daughter as a ‘real life angel.’

‘What a blessing it was to be her mom and dad. Thank you Jesus and thank you Lily Ann for changing our lives forever,’ they concluded.

While speaking to People magazine about becoming a mom once again this week, Cummings Johnson admitted that it was bittersweet.

‘We carried so much trauma from everything we went through with Lily Ann’s sickness and diagnosis, and navigating another pregnancy brought a lot of those emotions back to the surface,’ she shared. 

‘Honestly, it got harder as my belly grew and I started feeling the baby move. Those moments that are typically filled with excitement could also feel triggering because they reminded me of the trauma we experienced during Lily Ann’s postpartum season and when we learned of her diagnosis.

‘It was such a mix of emotions: joy, gratitude, fear and grief, all existing at the same time.

‘We were so thankful for this new life while also learning how to navigate the fear that came with loving another baby so deeply.’

She described their son as a ‘gift from Heaven’ and added that his birth was ‘so incredibly special.’ 

She also revealed that James was born with a birthmark at the center of his face that they believe was a sign from their late daughter. 

‘The doctors call [these types of birthmarks] “angel kisses,” and we immediately thought that was so fitting,’ she said.

‘We love imagining that his big sister in Heaven gave him kisses right on his face before he came into the world. 

‘It felt like such a special little reminder of Lily Ann and a way to feel her presence as we welcomed her baby brother. 

‘In a moment we had prayed and hoped for so deeply, it was really sweet to feel like she was a part of it, too.’

She added that they are focused on ‘moving forward’ and ‘living in a way that honors Lily Ann and makes her proud,’ while finding ‘little ways to keep her a part of their everyday lives.’ 

‘She will always be part of our family, our story, and everything we do,’ added Cummings Johnson.