Articles by Smita Kunvarji

Entertainment

Gold Coast influencer Veruca Salt marries in Las Vegas almost two years after tragic death of baby son

Gold Coast influencer Veruca Salt has shocked followers with her whirlwind Las Vegas wedding almost two years after the sudden death of her baby boy. Salt, whose real name is Kimberley Summer Hartley, revealed she had tied the knot only two weeks after meeting her new husband, stunning fans with the sudden announcement. Photos posted to Instagram on November 1 show the social media star wearing a strapless, bejewelled white gown as she exchanged vows at the infamous The Little White Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas. Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today Arrow While some of her two million followers were shocked by the news, many sent messages of support as they were happy to see Hartley doing well after her tragic loss. The influencer announced the birth of her son Cash on December 19, 2023. But in a devastating turn, he died in his sleep at just six weeks old. “It is with a heavy heart that I’m writing this,” Hartley wrote at the time. “My baby died in his sleep on Monday morning. I don’t know what happened ... it is unlikely that I’ll ever have an answer.” In February this year, Hartley posted an emotional tribute to mark one year since Cash’s passing. The post included a photo of Cash in his coffin, which prompted backlash from some followers who argued it should have come with a trigger warning. Hartley pushed back strongly, saying she was offended by the request. “Ya’ll come onto a grieving mother’s Instagram and be shocked to see there is actually a dead baby,” she said in a video shared to her Instagram stories at the time. “Genuine question: Are you stupid? Are you slow?... He’s embalmed in a coffin and he looks beautiful.” Despite her ongoing grief, Hartley appears determined to move forward. In a video titled “grwm to marry a man I met 2 weeks ago” filmed on her wedding day, she explained that she met her now husband — known as digiipremium online — on September 28 and they married on October 12. It remains unclear whether the ceremony was legally binding. “I am fully aware how insane this is but there is just a feeling in me that feels like this is the path I’m supposed to take,” Hartley said. “I don’t know how to explain it, I just had a weird vibe. “Obviously I’m scared, that’s normal, I think you’re supposed to be a little nervous on your wedding day. “There’s just something about him. I just feel so seen when I’m talking to him and I see him and he sees me and we just click.” Hartley’s mother flew from Australia to be there for the Vegas ceremony. Fans commented that it was heartwarming to see “the spark in her eyes” again after such an unimaginable loss.