UPDATE: Former Miss Jamaica Universe Shakira Martin has died

Former Miss Jamaica Universe, Shakira Martin, 30, died in a Florida hospital at 12:28 last night from complication with the sickle cell disease.

She spent her last few hours unconscious on a life support machine as family and close friends surrounded her to say goodbye.

“My darling princess Shakira Aminah passed away at 12.28am from complications from sickle cell blood clots to both lungs,” her mother Andrea Hall posted on the social media site, Facebook.

"Shakira was a fighter, lived her life in the moment, never became a slave to her disease. I will [keep] you posted with all the arrangements which will be both in Florida and Jamaica her favourite place in the whole world. Thanks for your support, prayers, phone calls, texts," she said.

Earlier, Hall had alerted the world to the imminent death of her daughter the 2011 Miss Jamaica.

"As I sit here with my daughter Shakira Aminah on life support saying good bye with family and friends... sickle cell is no joke please learn about it. Support someone. God bless you Shakira Martin I love you eternally," she had posted on Facebook.

In an interview with The Gleaner after her crowning five years ago, Martin said she had plans to increase awareness about the sickle cell disease by, helping with research and promoting care options.

She also noted that pain management and body care were necessary aspects of fighting sickle cell.

"You want to try and prevent this crisis from occurring as much as possible," she said at the time.