A HEARTBROKEN mother is today searching for answers after her beloved son died suddenly in his sleep - exactly a year after she lost her teenage daughter.

A HEARTBROKEN mother is today searching for answers after her beloved son died suddenly in his sleep - exactly a year after she lost her teenage daughter.

The inquest into the death of six-year-old Jacob Gaecke is due to take place at the end of this month and his mother, Vici, is hoping that it will provide her with some of the answers she is seeking.

Jacob, who was born with a rare brain malfunction that affected his physical abilities, died at his home in Nacton Road, Ipswich, on December 21 last year. By a freak coincidence that was the day of the anniversary of his 15-year-old sister Sarah's death, who was killed in a road crash.

Today Mrs Gaecke described how losing two children in the last 15 months has been horrific.

She said: “I need to know what happened to my son. To lose a child in your care is just awful. Like any parent, you think could I have done something more? I do not think it has hit me yet. The same day situation is a sign from Sarah that she has got him and he is ok. I am still grieving for Sarah too.”

In the days following Jacob's death, a post mortem was carried out but the cause of his death was unascertained and further tests were done. Police have now revealed that the final histology and toxicology report has been completed and the cause of death remains unascertained. However the death is no longer being treated as unexplained and is not deemed suspicious.

Mrs Gaecke, who is also mother to Aaron and toddler Isabelle, added: “I found him [Jacob]. He had been sleeping and I just went into wake him up in the morning, and he was lying there dead.

“His condition was so rare. We thought he would be lucky to survive birth but we had six wonderful years with him. It was a very complex condition. He was my world. When you are a parent, your children are your life.

“It's extremely hard on my youngest one. She thinks you are going to disappear too and it is very hard to give her the same kind of freedom as normal as I am so worried about her.”

Sarah died three days after her 15th birthday on December 21, 2007. She was a passenger in a car on the A14 near the Orwell truck stop when it was involved in a collision with another vehicle. She climbed from the wreckage but was hit by another car and died.

Mrs Gaecke has also left a tribute to her beloved Jacob, also known as Jake, on the memorial website, www.gonetoosoon.org.

She stated: “Jake was a special little boy, special in many ways. Somebody once told me that everyone is born with a mission a job they have to do before they can move on to the next world. Anyone that knows Jake, knows his mission, to spread love. I have never known Jake's kind of love before-pure, simple, unselfish love.

“It has been my honour and privilege to be Jake's mum for the short time he was with me. He taught me so much about life - to see him laugh when you sing to him, smile when he sees those he loves. Life is about loving people caring for those you love. Spread a smile in Jake's memory - that's what he wanted.”