Former Nickelodeon star compares stillborn child to death of Charlie Kirk
Carlos PenaVega and his wife, Alexa PenaVega, have compared the legacy of their stillborn child to that of the conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was shot and killed last year.
The couple, who have been documenting their grief online after their fourth daughter was stillborn in 2024, were reflecting on their experience when they bizarrely likened their late daughter’s impact to that of Kirk, who was assassinated in September 2025 at a Turning Point USA convention at Utah Valley University.
Speaking about how a person’s legacy can be strengthened after death, Carlos said: “I think what’s been amazing is that Taven, and then even our Indy, and then even recently, Charlie Kirk. Like these guys, their lives have been so much more impactful after.”
Alexa explained she and her husband, who is best known for his part in the Nickelodeon band and TV show Big Time Rush, had befriended another couple who had been sharing the story of the death of their 10-year-old son named Taven.
“Walking through that experience with them… was so heartbreaking and hard. We were just wrecked for them,” she said. “We were like, ‘How are you guys going through this? Now, I look at it all so differently.”
While Kirk rose to prominence as a right-wing social media personality, his killing sent shockwaves of blame and vitriol across the country. President Donald Trump attended his memorial in Arizona last year and described him as a “martyr.”
Speaking about having a strong legacy after death, Carlos added: “I look at my life, and I go if this ceiling were to… if that were to fall on me right now and I’m gone… I want to make sure whatever happens to me, that when I do go, man, it would be awesome that my life is as impactful, if not more, afterwards.”
The couple announced that their daughter had been delivered stillborn in April 2024.
“There are never the right words to say when it comes to loss,” the statement began. “After a beautiful and peaceful delivery our daughter ‘Indy’ was born at rest. It has been a painful journey. But in the pain we have found peace.”
“We can’t understand why things like this happen and we may never get those answers,” the statement concluded. “Indy Rex PenaVega, you completely changed our world. You moved us to a new place. You gave us the community we have been longing for. We love you can’t wait to see how many other lives you change.”
Carlos and Alexa share three children together: sons Ocean, nine, and Kingston, six, and daughter Rio, four.
The Sands national helpline provides support for anyone affected by the death of a baby. You can call 0808 164 3332 free of charge, or email helpline@sands.org.uk.
