Lauren Davis, Ottawa radio host 

and daughter of Erin Davis, 

dead at 24

The CFRA radio anchor on maternity leave with young son at time of death

Ottawa radio news anchor Lauren Davis, left, appears with her mother, longtime CHFI personality Erin Davis, in a wedding photo shared on Lauren Davis's Facebook page. Friends and family are mourning the death of the 24-year-old, who didn't wake up on Monday morning, her mother says.

Ottawa radio host Lauren Davis, the only child of longtime Toronto radio personality Erin Davis, died in her sleep Monday at age 24, according to her mother.

"You will likely have heard by now our tragic news," Erin Davis wrote in her online journal Monday. "Our dearest, sweetest, kindest daughter Lauren went to sleep on Sunday night – her first Mother's Day – and did not wake up to her baby's cries and husband's nudges on Monday."

Longtime CHFI radio personality Erin Davis shared this image of her daughter Lauren Davis, with her young son Colin, on her online journal on Sunday, Mother's Day. Lauren Davis died suddenly Monday. (www.erindavis.com)

Lauren Davis, the midday news anchor and host of Ottawa Noon on 580 CFRA, was on maternity leave at the time of her death.

She and husband Phil Shirakawa welcomed the birth of son Colin last October.

The cause of death isn't known.

The radio station also confirmed Davis's death in a statement on its website, and offered condolences to the family.

Richard Gray, regional vice-president for CFRA's parent company, Bell Media, said in a statement to the Ottawa Citizen that the death of the young mother was "a shock" to all staff members.

"Lauren will be deeply missed by her family and the many colleagues here who knew her so well," he said.

As co-host of 98.1 CHFI's morning show, Erin Davis is a popular figure in Toronto.

The 52-year-old radio personality frequently invites listeners to share in her life through her online journal and by recording special broadcasts from her home, which she shares with husband Rob Whitehead.

Shortly after Lauren's birth in 1991, the station set up remote equipment in Erin Davis's home so she could continue her broadcast work.

In a message posted the day before her daughter died, Erin Davis shared with fans what it meant to her to become a mother.

"Nothing has made me feel more like a mother than witnessing our daughter [Lauren] grow into the role," Erin tweeted on Sunday.

"So rewarding," she said, with the hashtag "HappyMothersDay."

A later message posted to her website thanked fans for their outpouring of support in light of Lauren Davis's death.

Erin Davis says she is now "taking a leave of this space" so that she can grieve.

"I'll be in touch when I can. And thank you again. She was our world."

CFRA said it would release information about funeral arrangements once they're made.