For the Broadus family, the moment they had waited nearly a year for — bringing baby Codi home — lasted just 20 days. On January 26, 2026, Codi Dreaux, the granddaughter of rapper Snoop Dogg, died at 10 months old, weeks after leaving the neonatal intensive care unit where she had spent almost her entire life.
The loss was made public on January 31, when Codi’s mother, Cori Broadus, shared a black-and-white photograph of herself holding her daughter on Instagram Stories. “Monday I lost the love of my life. My Codi,” she wrote, adding an angel wing emoji. The post marked the end of a journey that had been followed closely by family, friends and thousands of supporters since Codi’s premature birth.
Codi was born in February 2025 at just 25 weeks gestation, delivered by emergency C-section after Cori developed HELLP syndrome, a severe and potentially life-threatening pregnancy complication associated with preeclampsia. Cori had described her pregnancy as high-risk months earlier, saying doctors were deeply concerned for both her and the baby. The birth brought relief, but also a long and uncertain road ahead.
From the day she was born, Codi lived in the NICU. For 10 months, Cori documented the experience of becoming a “NICU mom,” sharing setbacks, milestones and the emotional toll of watching her daughter fight to grow stronger. During NICU Awareness Month in September 2025, she wrote that caring for Codi was not part of the plan, but had become part of her story, describing her daughter as a “little warrior.”
A fragile victory, then grief
The family finally celebrated a breakthrough on January 6, 2026. Cori announced that Codi was coming home, posting a photo of herself and her daughter in bed and thanking supporters for their prayers and messages. For the first time since her birth, Codi was out of hospital care.
The joy was short-lived. Less than three weeks later, Codi died. Cori’s fiancé, Wayne Deuce, also shared his grief publicly, writing that he had been “the saddest” since his daughter’s death but believed she was at peace. He promised that she would always be loved.
Codi’s death resonated beyond the immediate family. One of her NICU nurses, whose message Cori reshared, described the loss as the most painful moment of her nursing career, writing that she had given Codi a final bath and said goodbye without realizing it would be for the last time.
Snoop Dogg, whose real name is Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr., acknowledged the loss quietly. On the same day Cori announced Codi’s death, he posted a family photo on Instagram accompanied only by a sparkling heart and folded hands emoji. He has not issued a formal public statement. The rapper is a grandfather to seven children and has experienced a similar loss before: his grandson Kai died 10 days after birth in 2019.
A family shaped by health battles
Cori Broadus’ own medical history added another layer to the story. Diagnosed with lupus at age six, she suffered a severe stroke in early 2024, a period she later discussed in the trailer for the three-part special Snoop Dogg’s Fatherhood: Cori & Wayne’s Story. She recalled being frightened and in pain as doctors explained what had happened. Those health challenges made her pregnancy especially dangerous and Codi’s survival uncertain from the outset.
Despite that, Cori often spoke about her daughter’s strength. When Codi was six months old, she described her as alert, expressive and determined, saying doctors and nurses repeatedly told her that her baby knew what was happening around her and had a strong mind of her own.
In her original birth announcement in February 2025, Cori admitted to blaming herself and comparing her journey to others, but said her faith sustained her through the uncertainty. She called Codi “perfect,” despite arriving so early, and thanked God for carrying them through overwhelming odds.
The Broadus family has not shared details surrounding Codi’s cause of death. What remains is the record of a child who spent nearly a year fighting to live, briefly came home, and left a lasting impact on her family and caregivers.
As Cori, Wayne and their loved ones grieve, messages of support continue to pour in from fans and from families who recognize their own experiences in hers. For those who have lost children, the story of Codi Dreaux is a painful reminder of how fragile hope can be — and how deeply it can be loved.
