Rocks go on journey in memory of stillborn child

Hallie's parents hope the stones will go on a journey to help keep Hallie's memory alive

Parents whose child was stillborn hope to "positively keep her memory alive" by spreading rocks bearing her name across the globe.

Lexi Peters, 30, and Sean Chamberlain, 29, said the stillbirth of their daughter Hallie on 21 November 2023 "shattered our world".

"We went to Broomfield Hospital two days past due date and they couldn't find a heartbeat," said Ms Peters, of Chelmsford.

She said it "meant everything" to see people supporting the project as "it's a way that people can subtly still talk about Hallie and it helps us keep that chat going and all our friends and family have loved it".

The couple's son places a rock in memory of his sister Hallie

She said the hospital's maternity bereavement team - called The Blossom Team - had been "literally amazing" at helping them cope.

The idea for the family's rocks tribute came while they were at the hospital, when the pair were encouraged to place rocks in a bereavement garden at the facility.

This experience - as well as a support group session with the Essex branch of the Stillbirth and Neonatal Death charity (Sands) - sparked the creation of a Facebook group called Hallie's rocks in July, to raise awareness of stillbirth and keep Hallie's memory alive.

The couple bought a huge batch of rocks from Amazon and Ms Peters drew various designs on them, including purple and pink flowers, Hallie's name and the date she was stillborn.

Members of the group are encouraged to message Ms Peters if they would like a rock and she hopes they get found, keep being moved to new locations and those involved report back at each step, so the couple can keep track of where they end up.

So far, more than 20 rocks have made their way to places including Anglesey, Dublin and Suffolk and have even gone global, reaching Center Parcs Le Bois aux Daims in France.

"I believe this will keep going for years and years and we're just happy to see where it goes and how many places we can get them to go to," said Ms Peters.

"It's been so overwhelming to see that someone found the rock and took the time to read the story and then cared enough to help the onward journey."