Authorities say two of her babies died independently from co-sleeping within roughly a year of each other, prompting an Ohio lady to face various charges. Brooke Hunter has been charged with involuntary manslaughter and endangering children, according to an email from the Hamilton County Prosecutor’s Office to FOX Television Stations. It was not immediately clear whether Hunter was in prison.
Hunter’s 6-week-old infant died on June 22 as a result of co-sleeping, according to the prosecutor’s office. Hunter had another 6-week-old child who died as a result of co-sleeping almost exactly one year before, according to the prosecutor’s office.
When an infant or child sleeps near one or both parents, either in the same bed or on the same surface, this is referred to as co-sleeping. At the time of the first incident, Hunter was warned about the dangers of co-sleeping,” said assistant prosecutor Amy Clausing. “Because of the previous event, the Hamilton County Coroner’s Office deemed the death of the second kid a homicide.”According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, around 3,500 babies die in the United States each year as a result of sleep-related causes. One of the causes is co-sleeping.
“The risks of sleep-related infant deaths are up to 67 times higher when sleeping with someone on a couch, soft armchair, or cushion; and 10 times higher when sleeping with someone who is impaired due to fatigue or use of sedating medications or substances such as alcohol or illicit drugs; or is a smoker,” the academy stated this summer when updating its safe sleep recommendations.
Babies should sleep on a solid, flat surface, free of soft toys, pillows, blankets, or other materials. Furthermore, during at least the first six months, the AAP recommends that parents sleep in the same room but not on the same bed as their kids. This story originated in Detroit.