A 12-year-old girl is being remembered as a special daughter, classmate and animal lover after she died unexpectedly this week.

Joscelyn Barry died in her sleep Tuesday morning at her home in Fleming.

“We were so blessed to have her for 12 years,” Joscelyn's father, Steve Barry, said Wednesday. “She was an absolute joy.”

Steve found Joscelyn unresponsive in her bed when he went to wake her for school Tuesday.

Joscelyn was on the high honor roll at West Middle School in Auburn, where she excelled in art and music and ran cross country.

West Middle School principal Deborah Carey said Joscelyn had been in school Monday and by all accounts had a great day.

“She was very talented and wanted to do whatever she did very well,” Carey said.

“Our hearts just ache for them,” she said, referring to the Barry family.

Steve said Joscelyn knew at a young age that she wanted to be involved with animals and went to zoo camp at Rosamond Gifford Zoo in Syracuse every summer. The family has requested contributions in Joscelyn's memory be made to the zoo.

The Cayuga County Sheriff's Office is investigating Joscelyn's death, and the Onondaga County Medical Examiner's Office has thus far said the cause of death is unknown.

More information may not be available for weeks.

“We hope we find out (how she died)” Steve said. “It would be compounding the tragedy not to know.”

The Barry family is leaning on friends, family and co-workers this week.

“The outpouring of support has been incalculable - tremendous,” Steve said.

He said the assistance and respect shown by the Cayuga County Sheriff's Office, Fleming Fire Department, Onondaga County Medical Examiner's Office and Pettigrass Funeral Home have not been lost on the family.

“The professionals involved in this have been absolutely marvelous,” Steve said.