Q: Recently there was a sad situation involving a child who died in utero in a surrogate pregnancy.  The parents requested a blessing of the body.  I think a blessing was done. 

I think the most appropriate thing is the ritual for the Gathering in the Presence of the Body.  I think that holy water would not be used since the child was not baptized.  And I think the concluding prayer should be drawn from those for a child a who died before baptism, though the ones in the ritual book Gathering section don’t seem inappropriate.

Please advise.  Appreciate it. 
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A: I’m saddened to learn of this untimely death. Everything you advised is appropriate. 

Gathering the Presence of the Body (OCF 112–118 could be used, and it makes no distinction between a deceased adult a deceased child, and a deceased unbaptized child. 

Your caution about holy water is upheld in the Vigil for a Deceased Child (247–263), which says the sprinkling is omitted when the child had not been baptized (249). That entire Vigil could be prayed, as well as a Funeral Mass for a Child (276–294), or a Funeral Liturgy outside Mass for a child (295–315).

Prayers for all suffering this loss.

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