SIDS: Louisiana: co-sleep death statistics

Loresha Wilson Mar. 5, 2011

There's probably nothing sweeter than the image of a baby drifting off to sleep — be it in your arms or lying next to you. But these innocent moments can turn tragic when you fall asleep with the baby.
Local authorities say that's likely what happened to four babies who died in Shreveport homes in February. The infants, ages 22 days to 8 months, were found unconscious and not breathing after falling asleep next to someone.
The exact cause of each death has yet to be determined, but Caddo Parish Coroner Dr. Todd Thoma says all appear to be instances of co-sleeping. It ultimately resulted in suffocation.
However, detailed investigations are under way in all the deaths.
"This is an unfortunate problem in our community," Thoma said. "It occurs when the infant sleeps in the same bed as their parents. Whether the infant is moved, or the parent rolls over on the baby, it still results in positional asphyxia."
The first baby was found about 2 a.m. Feb. 16 at a residence in the 3500 block of Sumner Street, according to police reports. About two hours later, officers responded to the 1400 block of West 58th Street, where an 8-month-old was found deceased. The third baby died the morning of Feb. 23 at a residence in the 3100 block of West Caperton Street. And about 4 a.m. Feb. 26, a 2-month-old was found dead in the 1400 block of Claiborne Avenue, according to reports.
Criminal charges in these cases are rare, occurring most often when the parent at fault is under the influence of drugs or alcohol. When substance abuse is not involved, the deaths are often ruled accidental by police or local district attorney's offices.
"And at this time, we do no suspect foul play," said Sgt. Bill Goodin, spokesman for Shreveport police.
Louisiana has the highest infant mortality rate in the nation — nearly twice the national average, according to Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals.
One reason this is happening is that some mistakes are being made when it comes to the environment in which children are sleeping. The term "infant mortality" refers to all infant deaths before age one, excluding miscarriages and abortions.
Louisiana had an average of 71 infants die from SIDS, or Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, from 2003 to 2005, according to statistics provided by the Department of Health and Hospitals. During the same three years, the state had an average of 17 infants die of suffocation
http://www.shreveporttimes.com/article/20110305/NEWS01/103050323/1060/news01/Shreveport-sees-4-possible-co-sleeping-infant-deaths

SIDS: North Dakota: Ray Leon Huether convicted

January 21, 2011 - By DAVE CALDWELL,

A former Minot man convicted Wednesday in federal court on child pornography charges was not only convicted in state court last year of gross sexual imposition for performing sex acts with a child, but also served a 10-year prison term in another state after being linked to the deaths of two of his own infant children.
Ray Leon Huether, 42, of Fargo, was convicted of the Class AA felony imposition charge after Minot police received a report of a 6-year-old child who had been sexually assaulted. The child told police she had been involved in sexual acts with Huether, who at the time was in a relationship with her mother while living in Minot. Huether later moved to Fargo to pursue employment there.
Huether had previously been convicted in Billings, Mont., of negligent homicide following the death of his 2 1/2-month-old daughter in March 1995 while Huether was living in that city. The girl was in the sole care of Huether at the time of her death, which occurred only seven months after Huether's 7-month-old son also died while in his sole care. While the boy's death was determined to be related to sudden infant death syndrome, prosecutors alleged that the baby girl had been suffocated when Huether placed a pillow over her bassinette. After a judge ruled that he would allow testimony related to the boy's death, Huether entered a no contest plea and was convicted.
Investigation into the sexual assault also brought authorities into contact with a large amount of pornography, including child pornography. The pornography charges were severed from the GSI charge, with federal prosecutors assuming jurisdiction over the pornography cases.
Huether was subsequently convicted by a Minot jury of gross sexual imposition and sentenced to serve 30 years in the state penitentiary.
Huether appealed both the Montana conviction and the GSI conviction, but both were upheld in the states' respective supreme courts.
Meanwhile, the federal case against Huether moved forward, ending Wednesday with his jury conviction on receipt of materials involving the sexual exploitation of minors and possession of materials involving the sexual exploitation of minors. The receipt charge carries a minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum of 40 years, while the possession charge mandates five years up to a maximum of 20 years.
Huether's sentencing in federal court has been scheduled for April 18 in Bismarck.
http://www.minotdailynews.com/page/content.detail/id/551097/Former-Minot-man-convicted-of-child-porn.html?nav=5010

SIDS: Omaha

OMAHA, Neb. -- Since Thanksgiving, Omaha’s Project Harmony says three babies in the metro area died from Sudden Unexpected Infant Death.

Experts say the children were kept too warm or too close or both, and suffocated as a result.

Tiffaney Longemore’s daughter died when Longemore fell asleep on the couch cradling the baby. Longemore recently shared her story with KETV Newswatch 7’s Melissa Fry, hoping to save other children.

“I found that her face was 75 percent in the couch,” remembered Longemore. “I went to go turn her over and I saw that her face was blue.”

Longemore’s daughter, Brooklyn, was only seven weeks old.

“I picked her up and I said, Brooklyn,” said Longemore. “I knew something was wrong.”

Brooklyn suffocated. Experts told KETV they see cases like hers all too often.

“Infants who are put down to sleep and never wake up,” explained Dr. Suzanne Haney, a pediatrician with Omaha’s Project Harmony.

On average, there are 24 unexpected child deaths in the metro every year. Project Harmony said half of those cases are babies who go to bed and never wake up.

Haney said the three unexpected, infant deaths Project Harmony has looked at since Thanksgiving all involved unsafe sleeping conditions, set up by well-meaning parents.

“They actually think they are helping their child by bundling them up and keeping them nice and warm,” said Haney. “Unfortunately, they're blocking the airway with pillows, thick, fluffy mattresses; all those things we think are comfort are actually risk factors for a baby.”

Haney said prevention will save lives.

“Get a thin blanket, tuck it around their chest,” described Haney. “Tuck it in around edge of crib so they're not at risk for suffocation.”

Tiffaney Longemore told Fry she now carries with her the ashes of her baby girl, Brooklyn.

“You know you're going to want to sleep with them,” Longemore told other parents. “It’s not worth losing your baby over. It’s not worth it. It’s not worth it at all.”

Government experts report Sudden Unexpected Infant Death is different from SIDS, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.

Experts said the decrease in SIDS cases may be due to an increase in unexpected deaths like accidental suffocated. Since many of these deaths are not investigated or under reported, it’s unclear how many cases there are nationwide.
http://www.ketv.com/news/26514203/detail.html