Joy-Anna Duggar Wishes Stillborn Daughter a ‘Happy Heavenly Birthday’
Joy-Anna Forsyth (née Duggar) paid tribute to her stillborn daughter, Annabell Elise Forsyth, on what would have been her 6th birthday.
Joy-Anna, 27, took to Instagram to share photos from Annabell’s birth on Tuesday, July 1. The carousel included black-and-white snaps of the late infant’s feet and tiny footprints, as well as a photo of Joy-Anna holding Annabell alongside her husband, Austin Forsyth. In other photos, the couple was surrounded by their family as they mourned Annabell’s death.
Joy-Anna also included a mirror selfie where she showed off her baby bump, a video of her ultrasound scan and a photo of herself and Austin, 31, sharing a hug in the woods as they held a box with Annabell’s remains.
One slide featured a yellow rose and read, “Annabell Elise Forsyth, July 1, 2019, 2:39 p.m., 4.8 ounces, 7 inches long.”
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In the caption of her post, Joy-Anna wrote, “Happy heavenly 6th birthday Annabell Elise Forsyth .”
Joy-Anna also shared many of the same photos on her Instagram Story.
Posting the photo of the yellow rose, she recalled that the hospital hung the flower on their door after Annabell was delivered.
“Her features were perfect … her little hands, fingernails, lips, tongue, ears, arms & legs,” Joy-Anna wrote alongside the photo of Annabell’s feet.
The Counting On alum also reposted the photo of herself and Austin in the woods and wrote, “This moment was so difficult. Burying her felt like we had to move on without her. I just wanted to hold my baby, but I had to let her go. I just held her wooden box tightly and bawled.”

Joy-Anna continued, “We were able to bury her in a special place on my in-laws’ farm.”
Joy-Anna and Austin announced in May 2019 that they were expecting what would have been their second child. However, the following month, the couple learned at their 20-week scan that Joy-Anna had suffered a miscarriage.
“Today marks one week since we heard these words,” the former TLC personality wrote on Instagram at the time. “’So this is your baby’s heart (pointing to the ultrasound screen). I don’t hear a heartbeat or see any movement.’ We had gone in for our 20-week ultrasound and gender reveal. It was a baby girl.”
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She continued, “Although we don’t understand why, God has given us unexplainable peace and comfort during this very difficult time. Yes, it still hurts and we have cried countless tears, but we know that we can trust the Lord. In the words of King David after the loss of his baby, ‘I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me’ (2 Sam 12:23). We don’t grieve as those who have no hope because we trust that we will see this little one again.”
Joy-Anna also shared why they chose to name their late daughter Annabell Elise, writing, “Annabell means ‘God has favored me,’ and Elise means ‘God satisfies.’ What a precious thing to know that when our daughter opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was the face of Jesus.”
Joy-Anna and Austin are also parents to son Gideon, whom they welcomed in February 2018, daughter Evelyn, whom they welcomed in August 2020, and son Gunner, whom they welcomed in May 2023.
© Joy-Anna Duggar/Instagram