"With great sadness, we are asking for your prayers for the repose of the soul of five week old baby Susan Ann Torres," a statement on the family's website said. "She passed away last night after surgery for a perforated intestine."

The girl had been successfully delivered by Caesarean section on August 2, three months after her mother, Susan M. Torres, fell into a coma and was declared brain dead.

Weighing 0.82kg, the baby had spent seven months in utero. Doctors at Virginia Hospital Centre had said her delivery had gone smoothly without complications.

A 26-year old medical researcher, the mother lost consciousness on May 7 after an undetected melanoma spread to her brain. Her husband, Jason, and her parents had agreed to keep her on life support in an attempt to save the baby. A day after the birth of Susan Ann, the family chose to withdraw the life support.