News October 24, 2009
'Mermaid Girl' Shiloh Pepin Dies
Shiloh Pepin, a girl born with a rare condition often called Mermaid Syndrome, has died. Pepin appeared on Oprah and on TLC. She was 10 years old.
The AP reports Maine Medical Center spokesman John Lamb said Shiloh died at the hospital Friday afternoon. She had been hospitalized in critical condition since last week.
Shiloh was born with sirenomelia, a condition where her legs were fused from the waist down. The condition is about as rare as conjoined twins and is usually fatal within a day or two of birth.
Last month, Shiloh sat down with Oprah and said she didn't mind being called "mermaid girl" and she had no interest in getting her legs separated.
