Patriots rookie TE Eli Raridon announces death of newborn son after fatal birth defect diagnosis

New England Patriots rookie tight end Eli Raridon and his wife, Anna, announced the loss of their first child on Tuesday afternoon.

The couple shared a post on Instagram and announced that, after going in for a 20-week checkup, their son had been diagnosed with anencephaly. The fatal birth defect, according to the Cleveland Clinic , occurs when the fetal brain and skull doesn't develop as expected. This typically ends in a miscarriage.

"While we are absolutely devastated that we were unable to bring our baby boy home, I am grateful to have loved him deeply, kept him safe, and had been his home for the past 9 months before he was called back to Heaven," Anna wrote on Instagram. "I believe our little boy was lovingly knitted together in the womb by God, knowing how deeply he would be loved by our families, our friends, Eli, and me," she added later. "Though his time with us was brief, his life still precious, his purpose still meaningful, and he will forever be a part of our story."

"While we are absolutely devastated that we were unable to bring our baby boy home, I am grateful to have loved him deeply, kept him safe, and had been his home for the past 9 months before he was called back to Heaven," Anna wrote on Instagram.

"I believe our little boy was lovingly knitted together in the womb by God, knowing how deeply he would be loved by our families, our friends, Eli, and me," she added later. "Though his time with us was brief, his life still precious, his purpose still meaningful, and he will forever be a part of our story."

The couple celebrated their wedding last May.

The Patriots selected Raridon in the third round of the NFL Draft earlier this year out of Notre Dame. He has two catches for 32 yards and a touchdown, a 2-yard score he had in their season-opening loss to the Seattle Seahawks , so far this year. He missed last week's game, a loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars , with a thigh injury.

The Patriots, at 1-2, will take on the Buffalo Bills on Sunday in New York.