Kentucky tornadoes: Two-month-old girl is youngest victim

A two-month old girl has become the youngest victim of the devastating tornadoes that swept through the US state of Kentucky, her parents say.

Oaklynn Charleigh Koon was taken to hospital after storms destroyed the house where her family were sheltering in Dawson Springs.

Her parents, Douglas and Jackie, said she suffered several seizures and was later placed on life support.

They said their hearts were “absolutely shattered” before confirming her death.

“At least I know who will be watching over you up there for me. My dad. God this doesn’t seem real,” Mr Koon wrote in a Facebook post on Monday.

The post included a photo of his daughter’s hand resting in his.

Hours earlier the couple posted an update from hospital describing Oaklynn’s condition.

“It’s not looking good guys… the machines are keeping her alive,” they wrote. “Her head swelled really bad. She doesn’t have activity.”

They said on Saturday that Oaklynn had been placed in a car seat for protection as the storm approached the property, with the family all attempting to find shelter in a bathroom.

“We all went flying and ended up way on the other end of our neighbour’s house,” they said.Doctors said they believed that Oaklynn had some bleeding around the brain and may have suffered a stroke.

Her older brother Dallas was also hurt, but was discharged from hospital on Sunday.

The tornadoes that hit Kentucky at the weekend are known to have killed at least 74 people in the state.

The victims range in age from as young as two months to 86 years old and come from at least eight different counties.

“The people of Western Kentucky have gone through an unspeakable trauma,” Governor Andy Beshear said on Monday.

President Joe Biden has described the weekend’s tragic event as “one of the largest” storm outbreaks in American history.