Missouri toddler utters sister’s name in her sleep. Her sister died years before she was born: ‘Best guardian angel’

A viral TikTok from creator Devyn Ashley (@devynashley) is leaving viewers emotional after footage from a baby monitor appeared to capture her 15-month-old daughter saying the name of a sister who died years before she was born.

The clip, which has drawn roughly 4.5 million views, shows the toddler lying in bed on baby cam footage, giggling and rolling around as if interacting with someone nearby. In the video, the child appears to say “Jayda” twice while laughing. Text overlay on the video explains that Jayda, the girl’s sister, died in 2017 before the toddler was born. Ashley added a caption that read: “My heart She has the best guardian angel.”

“Moms know that laugh”

The emotional moment quickly sparked thousands of comments from viewers who believed the toddler may have been sensing or dreaming about her late sibling. One comment read: “[moms] know that laugh. thats not a cute baby entertaining himself. thats a baby that is laughing at someone doing something silly to make them hysterically laugh. we know that laugh all too well. that was definitely your angel baby.”

Others shared similar experiences involving children mentioning deceased relatives they had never met. “A few months after my mother died, my 4-year-old nephew, who always called her ‘Gigi,’ asked his mom to please tell Gigi to stop waking him up at night,” one commenter wrote. “He said she would come sit on his bed and touch his hair.”

Posts like Ashley’s frequently resonate with viewers because they combine family loss with moments people struggle to explain. Videos involving young children appearing to reference deceased relatives frequently generate debate between viewers who see spiritual meaning and others who look for more grounded explanations.

The toddler may have heard Jayda’s name spoken around the house or in family conversations. Experts have long noted that babies and toddlers absorb language even when adults do not realize they are listening. Sleep talking and partial dream states can also cause children to repeat familiar words or names while resting.

At the same time, many viewers said the clip felt comforting rather than frightening. The tone across the comment section leaned heavily toward support for Ashley and her family, with many describing the moment as heartwarming. The idea of “guardian angels” also resonated with viewers who have experienced the loss of a child or close relative.

Online communities centered around grief frequently share stories about signs, dreams or moments that make family members feel connected to loved ones who have died. Ashley did not appear to claim anything supernatural outright in the post. Instead, the video focused on the emotional impact of hearing her daughter seemingly say Jayda’s name while laughing alone in her crib.

Whether viewers interpret the moment as a dream, a coincidence, or something more spiritual, the reaction online has been overwhelmingly emotional. For many commenters, the video served as a reminder of how deeply families continue carrying the memory of loved ones long after they are gone.