Heartbreak Strikes Snoop Dogg’s Family After NICU Joy

Heartbreak has engulfed the family of music icon Snoop Dogg after a moment of hard-won joy turned into devastating loss.

His daughter Cori Broadus revealed that her infant daughter, Codi Dreaux, has died just weeks after leaving intensive care, ending a journey marked by resilience, public prayers, and a fragile hope that briefly felt fulfilled before everything quietly fell apart.

Cori Broadus, the youngest daughter of Snoop Dogg and his wife Shante Broadus, confirmed that her 11-month-old daughter Codi Dreaux passed away on Monday, only 20 days after being discharged from the neonatal intensive care unit.

The announcement stunned fans who had followed the baby’s long medical journey and celebrated her long-awaited return home.

Codi was born three months premature in late February 2025, the first child Cori welcomed with her fiancé, photographer Wayne Duece.

From the start, her life unfolded under extraordinary circumstances, with months spent in the NICU as doctors monitored her fragile condition.

When Codi was finally cleared to go home at the start of the new year, Cori marked the moment publicly, writing, “She’s home,” and adding, “Thank you for every prayer, every message, every ounce of love. God heard them all.”

That sense of relief, however, was heartbreakingly short-lived. Days later, Cori shared a black-and-white photo holding her daughter and revealed the devastating turn her life had taken.

“Monday, I lost the love of my life. My Codi,” she wrote. Reflecting on the cruel timing, she reshared her earlier celebration and added, “20 days later?! dawg im sick (sic).”

The emotional weight of Codi Broadus’s passing is magnified by how close the family felt to a happy ending.

After surviving months in intensive care, her discharge symbolized triumph over staggering odds.

Friends, followers, and loved ones had rallied around Cori, offering prayers and encouragement throughout the ordeal.

Cori, 26, had been open about the emotional toll of the experience, from the uncertainty of the NICU to the cautious optimism that followed Codi’s return home.

That optimism now stands in stark contrast to the reality she faces, a reality defined by grief rather than relief.

Wayne Duece also shared his pain publicly, posting a tender image of himself holding his daughter as she looked up at him.

Alongside the photo, he poured out his grief in words that echoed the depth of his loss.

“I been the saddest since u left me Codi Dreaux. But I know u at peace. Daddy will always love you (sic),” he wrote, followed by the hashtag “#LongLiveCodiDreaux.”

He also reshared messages from friends and loved ones honoring Codi and offering condolences, underscoring how deeply her brief life had touched those around her.

The outpouring of support extended beyond family, reaching the medical professionals who had cared for Codi during her months in the hospital.

Cori Broadus later reshared a tribute written by Codi’s nurse, who posted a video of a mobile spinning above the baby’s crib.

In an emotional reflection, the nurse wrote, “I been sad for 6 days straight. Being a nurse has its ups and downs and this is the biggest down I ever experienced.”

The nurse described the final moments she spent caring for Codi, adding, “It was such a pleasure being my baby girl’s nurse. I gave her one last bath told her I loved her and didn’t even know I was getting her ready for Heaven.”

She concluded by telling Codi’s parents they were “forever in my heart and my family 4 ever,” capturing how deeply the loss resonated beyond the Broadus household.

Following Codi’s birth, Cori Broadus was candid about the challenges of her pregnancy.

She revealed that she went into labor at just 25 weeks and grappled with intense self-blame, admitting she had “cried and cried” and “compared and compared, blaming myself that I wasn’t able to give her all that she needed.”

Despite the fear and uncertainty, Cori celebrated her daughter’s strength from the beginning.

She described Codi as “perfect as ever!” She added, “Thank You God for getting me this far no matter the odds that are constantly thrown against me.”

The premature birth was caused by HELLP syndrome, a severe form of preeclampsia, compounding an already dangerous situation.

Cori, who has lived with lupus since childhood and suffered a stroke in early 2024, had described her pregnancy as a “high risk pregnancy.”

Even so, she continued to speak with pride about her daughter. When Codi was six months old and still in the NICU, Cori described her as “feisty” and “so resilient and strong,” sharing that doctors often remarked on her awareness and spirit.

She recalled being told, “Your baby got her mind. She’s smart. She’s alert. She knows what’s going on. She can hear. She can see. Yeah, the circumstances are not what you thought they would be, but it could be worse.”

For Cori, that strength defined Codi completely. “That girl is just a sweet little firecracker,” she gushed.