Lucus Hall wins Roma’s cutest baby 2024
Roma’s cutest baby might be less than three months old, but the triumphant tale of how his family persevered through his first week of life is a story for the ages.
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After meticulously counting the votes, the winner of Roma’s cutest baby can be officially revealed.
With more than 30 babies entered into the contest, the competition was fierceand after 66 people had their say in our official poll, ultimately one bub came out on top.
At 11 weeks old, Lucus Hall has been crowned Roma’s cutest baby, in a full circle moment for his family, and a token of community support for a young family whose first experience of parenthood was harrowing.
Lucus Hall was born in September to first-time parents Taylah Graham and Benjamin Hall.
Ms Graham described Lucus as a “bright and bubbly” baby, and said he “gives everyone a bit of cheek, like his Dad and Pop.”
“He’s a beautiful child,” she said.
Her affection for baby Lucus is palpable and abundant, but Ms Graham said her experience in the hours and days after Lucus’ birth left her feeling “broken”.
Less than six hours after he was born, Ms Graham said Lucus was urgently flown to hospital in Brisbane with holes in his lungs after inhaling too much fluid through birth.
She said due to her own state after the birth, she was unable to fly with him, and so she was separated from her baby mere hours after he was born. She said she was not able to hold her baby for the first time until he was a week old.
Ms Graham said her partner’s mother flew with Lucus to Brisbane, while Ms Graham and her partner got in the car the next day.
After more than three hours in the car, and just one day post-partum, the couple’s car broke down in Dalby.
Ms Graham said they were able to stay with someone they knew, and her partner’s dad took them to Brisbane the next day.
She said when she saw Lucus in hospital for the first time she felt “broken”.
“I was just so hurt to see him so sick and with all the tubes and leads off him,” she said.
She said she saw him slowly freed from the tangle of apparatuses attached to her baby boy over the course of a week.
“It was definitely a relief seeing him improve each day,” she said.
“It definitely changed my perspective on motherhood.”
In the past 10 weeks, Ms Graham said Lucus has recovered exceptionally, and so has she, enveloped in the love and care of a strong family and community around her.
She said she was thankful to the doctors in Roma and the Royal Flying Doctor Service for saving her baby’s life, and also to those who have supported her family in the time since.
She said Lucus takes after his father in many ways, including being recognised as Roma’s cutest baby, as Benjamin Hall won the same competition in 2003.
As for the rest of the competition, two babies, Tylen Young and Dustyn Dale Fisher, tied for second place.
Dustyn’s mother Tara Monteith said at only 10 months old her son was already quite a character.
“He’s honestly so cruisy,” she said.
“He’s so happy all the time.”
She said he is smiley, chatty, and has a rather random obsession with wheels.
“Pram wheels, cars, anything with wheels,” she said.
“He also loves getting into the bin.”
Tylen Young’s mother, Chelsea Upton said she was so grateful for everyone’s “kind words and votes”.
“We are all happy he placed 2nd we are very proud of our little boy,” she said.
“Tylen was born on May 6, 2024 he was born one week early.
“He’s currently seven months old he is one very happy baby.
“(He) always seems to smile at everyone he’s just generally just happy to be here.”
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