"Mother sentenced after baby SUDI death"

Police are highlighting the responsibility of parents to ensure safe sleeping practices for their children after the sentencing of a mother in court yesterday on a charge of endangering life by criminal nuisance.

The Hawke’s Bay mother appeared in the Napier District Court yesterday for sentencing in relation to the death of her 10-week-old baby girl, who died overnight on 21 October 2013. The mother was sentenced to one year’s supervision with attendance at counselling and programmes as directed by the Probation Service.

Both the mother and child were granted name suppression.

Detective Sergeant Tim Smith of Hawke’s Bay Police said the mother was first charged by police on 12 November 2014. She had slept in a queen size bed with her 2-year-old son and the baby girl.

On the morning of 22 October 2013, she awoke to discover her baby unresponsive, and her son’s arm over her daughter’s face.

The cause of death was determined as Sudden Unexpected Death in Infancy (SUDI) due to an unsafe sleeping environment.

This was attributed to probable accidental asphyxia by being overlain by her sibling.

Mr Smith said the death was preventable.

“In these cases we have a responsibility to investigate thoroughly and to consider any culpability on the part of the parent.

It is not our aim to revictimise parents after the tragic death of a child and any prosecution is taken after careful consideration of all the circumstances”.

The dangers of babies co-sleeping with parents were well known and health agencies were proactive in their efforts to educate families about the issue. Mr Smith said in this case, the information provided to the parents by health professionals was ignored.

The child was at higher risk due to being born premature, of low birth weight, and having parents as smokers, including the mother smoking during pregnancy.

“There is a responsibility on parents to ensure safe sleeping advice is adhered to but we would also like to see all parents, grandparents, whanau and family take responsibility for ensuring safety around co-sleeping,” Mr Smith said.

"As parents we have social and legal obligations to ensure the safety of our children.

These obligations include making sure that we provide our children with a safe sleeping environment.

In situations such as this where there has been a significant departure from the standard of care expected of parents, criminal charges will be considered”.

The mother and her partner had been given comprehensive information on co-sleeping and other risk factors when their baby was born premature.

A family safety plan had been prepared and the couple were given a “pepe pod” by health authorities to use in bed as there was such a concern about co-sleeping.

On this occasion the pepe pod was not used and it was found leaning against the wall in the bedroom.

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