This article is more than 1 year old

This article is more than 1 year old

A baby whose parents started a social media campaign in a desperate bid to find him a new heart has died.

Carter Cookson, who was born prematurely on Boxing Day, died at 5.44pm on Saturday, his mother, Sarah Cookson, said.

She and her husband, Chris, from South Shields, South Tyneside, began a Facebook campaign in the days after Carter’s birth in the hope of finding him an organ donor that could have saved him.

The couple had already lost their first son, Charlie, who died aged two in 2013, which led them to set up a charity.

Writing on Facebook, Sarah Cookson said: “RIP Carter John Cookson. Today he could not fight anymore … at 5.44pm our brave baby boy Carter John Cookson gained his angel wings and flew into his big brother’s arms.

“We are heartbroken … our two boys are in heaven without their Mammy and Daddy we feel so empty and our hearts will never recover.”

On Friday night, the couple had said they were trying to focus on spending time with Carter, who they feared had only days to live, at the Freeman hospital in Newcastle.

Their Facebook post read: “Our hearts are breaking … as once again no phone call … and another day closer to losing our baby.”

Thousands of people posted their condolences on the social media site beneath a final photograph of Carter.

After Charlie’s death, the couple set up the Charlie Cookson Foundation in an effort to support other families with seriously ill children.

The couple thanked everyone who had tried to help on their Find a Heart for Carter page, saying: “Thank you to everyone who has helped to try and find Carter’s gift we will be eternally grateful xxx.”

Carter underwent surgery a week after his birth, but the operation to drain one side of his heart and install a pacemaker was unsuccessful.