23-Month-Old Model With Down Syndrome Melts Hearts With Adorable Photos

Leah Jessen / September 17, 2015

Connie-Rose Seabourne’s big blue eyes and happy smile are taking the Internet by storm.

Born in Britain two months prematurely, Seabourne was diagnosed with Down syndrome at just two weeks old. Now almost 23 months old, the toddler recently began modeling.

It was reported that Seabourne’s mother, Julia Britton, 42, sent photos of her daughter to three modeling agencies after receiving comments that Seabourne should model. The agencies arranged test shoots to photograph the girl, who seems to have fun in front of the camera.  

SWNS News, Britain’s largest independent newswire, reported that Seabourne received two modeling contracts from unknown agencies. For her part, Britton has not disclosed any details of the agreements.

“As soon as it gets too much for her or she doesn’t like it, we’ll stop,” Britton told the Daily Mail. “The first sign that she’s not enjoying it, we’ll stop. What she wants to do is the most important thing in all of this.”

Down syndrome, a genetic condition where individuals have an extra chromosome, affects more than 400,000 people in the United States alone. According to popular health website WebMD, individuals with Down syndrome also typically have intellectual disabilities and health problems.

Britton and her partner Peter Seabourne have embraced the reality of their daughter’s condition, remaining positive about the opportunities that await Connie-Rose.

According to the Daily Mail, Britton has spent time with other parents of children with Down syndrome in an effort to help families through the oftentimes difficult emotions that can come with a Down syndrome diagnosis.   

“Some parents struggle with the idea of Down syndrome initially and think that life isn’t going to be the same again,” Britton told the Daily Mail. “I try to explain just how much support there is out there for them.”

For now, it seems that Seabourne will follow in the footsteps of other models with Down syndrome, including Madeline Stuart, a teen model who has walked in New York Fashion Week fashion shows, and the 11-month-old son of model Amanda Booth, who also landed a modeling contract.

Last week, the United States Senate passed the bipartisan Special Needs Trust Fairness Act to make it easier for individuals with special needs to manage their assets.

The bill has been referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.