A “mischievous” three-year-old who loved drawing died from unknown causes in hospital earlier this month – and her bereaved Canonbury mother is crowdfunding so she can afford her funeral costs.

Devastated Becca O’Neill, 30, who lives in the Marquess Estate, began to worry about her “beautiful baby girl” Bella Hale-O’Neill when she complained of a “tummy ache” on April 3. Becca took her to their River Place Health Centre GP the following afternoon – and she was then rushed to hospital with a suspected infection due to her eyes swelling up.

The child’s condition rapidly deteriorated and she died in the early hours of Saturday, April 6. It was the worst night of Becca’s life.

A post-mortem examination has taken place but the results are not yet available.

An investigation into her death and inquest will take place in due course.

Speaking of her daughter, who attended New River Green Children’s Centre, in Ramsey Walk, Becca told the Gazette: “She was cheeky and stuck to my hip.

“She didn’t go anywhere without me. She loved cats, her teddy and loved drawing – that was her favourite thing.

“She could count to 15 and knew her ABCs. She learned songs so quickly, after two or three times of listening to them.

“She was so mischievous, like a cheeky little monkey.”

The full-time mum also has two daughters, 10 and four, a 10-month-old boy, and is pregnant.

Becca explained that her daughter previously suffered from epilepsy but had been taken off the medication as she hadn’t suffered a fit in years.

The child also had an inhaler as she was a suspected to be asthmatic like her father Raymond Hale, although she was still too young for this to be confirmed.

Becca wants to give her “beautiful baby the send off she deserves” – but she says the funeral costs are too expensive.

The crowdfunding page was launched on Sunday with the aim of raising £4,000.

As of yesterday (Wed) morning, the campaign had raised £1,686.

The date for the funeral is not yet set as her family must wait for relevant tests to be carried out before Bella’s body is released to them.

Donate here.