First baby with Down syndrome wins Gerber baby of the year

Ashley May | USA TODAY

Show Caption Hide Caption First baby with Down syndrome wins Gerber Baby of 2018 The photo of baby Lucas was submitted by his mother because people always comment on his smile.

Corrections and Clarifications: A previous version of this story misstated when the Gerber baby contest started.

A 1-year-old from Georgia is the first child with Down syndrome to become a Gerber baby.

Lucas Warren from Dalton, Ga., was chosen from more than 140,000 constants as the winner of Gerber's 2018 Spokesbaby contest.

“Lucas’ winning smile and joyful expression won our hearts this year, and we are all thrilled to name him our 2018 Spokesbaby,” Bill Partyka, president and CEO of Gerber, said in a statement. “Every year, we choose the baby who best exemplifies Gerber’s longstanding heritage of recognizing that every baby is a Gerber baby, and this year, Lucas is the perfect fit.”

Lucas is the first child with Down syndrome to win the title since the contest began in 2010.

Warren submitted a photo of Lucas sporting a polka-dot bow tie and his winning smile on Instagram during the 2017 photo search.

“We hope this opportunity sheds light on the special needs community and educates people that with acceptance and support, individuals with special needs have the potential to change the world — just like our Lucas,” Lucas’ mom Cortney Warren said in a statement.

As the Grand Prize winner, Lucas' family will receive $50,000 and be featured on Gerber's social media channels throughout the year.

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