With two devastating Sudden Unexpected Infant Deaths occurring in Gresham over the last three weeks, related to co-sleeping, the Gresham Police Department is reminding parents how to avoid preventable tragedies.
The Special Victim Team parrots the Oregon Health Authority’s Safe Sleep for Babies campaign, which says, “Face up, face clear, smoke free, baby near.”
To keep your baby safe, make sure:
- There is nothing else in the crib
- The baby sleeps in a safety-approved crib, bassinet or portable crib
- Sleeps on their back
- Sleeps in the same room as the parent or caregiver
- Is not overheated or overdressed
- Is in a smoke-free home
- Is on a firm-sleep surface, mattress or tight-fitting sheet
SUID is the death of an infant less than one year of age that occurs suddenly and unexpectedly, and whose cause is not immediately obvious before investigation. The broad term includes Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), accidental suffocation or strangulation in bed, or any other unknown cause. According to officials, about 40 babies die in their sleep every year in Oregon. For more information visit tinyurl.com/mt7vurhh.
