[ad_1]
SINGAPORE: A coroner has declared an open verdict in the death of a two-month-old baby who was found face down and not breathing on his mattress, pointing out safe sleeping practices to parents and caregivers.
The boy was two months and three weeks old when the family’s maid found him unconscious in an apartment in Sengkang and was later pronounced dead in hospital on May 17 last year.
In the findings released this week, State Coroner Kamala Ponnampalam declared the verdict open after a thorough investigation, including an autopsy examination, failed to determine the cause of death. Asphyxia was not ruled out.
The coroner pointed to unsafe sleep practices that possibly led to death. At approximately 7 p.m. on May 17 last year, the family’s maid had bottle-fed the baby with approximately 130 ml of breast milk before burping him and waiting for him to fall asleep.
She then placed him on a mattress in a prone position, with his head turned to the right, and left the bedroom.
She spent about an hour after this washing dishes, helping the family’s two daughters with their showers, before showering and washing clothes.
After about an hour, the maid wondered why the baby hadn’t cried and went to see how he was doing. He found the baby face down on the mattress and lifted him to see that he was not breathing and that he was pale.
The maid ran out of the room carrying the baby and called her mother, asking her to come home immediately because the baby was not breathing.
The baby’s father came home shortly after to find the maid crying with the baby in her hands. She saw that her son was not breathing and milk was dripping from his nose, and immediately took him to the hospital.
However, the baby remained unresponsive and without a pulse despite emergency help, and was pronounced dead at 9:51 p.m.
An autopsy found no obvious and significant abnormalities, and the forensic pathologist said that a face-down sleeping position is not likely to cause or contribute to death, if there was no evidence of co-sleeping, or evidence at the scene indicating that the nose or the baby’s mouth was covered.
He added that if the baby was on his stomach with a blocked external airway, it is possible that this could lead to suffocation and death.
However, such obstructions usually lead to autopsy findings, such as lesions or abrasions around the nose and mouth, but they were not found in this case, the pathologist said.
“Based on the evidence conducted, there is no basis to suspect a dirty act,” the coroner said. “Following a thorough investigation, which included an autopsy examination with ancillary evidence, a review of the circumstances of death and the (baby’s) medical history, the cause of death remains unknown. Therefore, I am compelled to record an open verdict “.
He added that suffocation cannot be determined or excluded with certainty in this case.
PARENTAL CONCERNS
The baby’s parents raised several concerns during the coroner’s investigation. They asked her why the maid had put her son to sleep on a mattress in her sisters’ bedroom instead of in their crib, and why she had fed him breast milk instead of formula at night, like it was routine.
The maid testified that she had placed the boy in her sisters’ bedroom, as it was closer to the kitchen and living room, where she could hear him if he cried.
They also asked why the maid had checked the baby only once and after almost an hour, questioning if she was distracted with her phone. The maid had testified that she did not use her phone an hour before finding the unresponsive baby.
They felt that the maid had been negligent in caring for the baby and said that this negligence had caused or contributed to his death.
The maid testified during the investigation that she was not distracted at the time of the incident or concerned about financial matters.
SAFE SLEEPING PRACTICES
The coroner reminded parents and caregivers of the importance of safe sleep, noting that this case raises “unsafe sleep practices that have possibly led to infant death.”
“A baby who is placed to sleep on his tummy can get stuck in a tummy position,” he said. “Pediatricians and those involved in child care regularly emphasize the importance of (a) the baby sleeping on his back.”
He marked the ABC of safe sleep: alone, on his back and cradle. A baby should not sleep in the same bed as the others, but not necessarily in a different room; A baby should sleep on his back and in a well-built crib that does not have loose bedding, pillows, or toys.
“These are steps parents can take to make sure their baby sleeps safely. Caregivers should also be informed of arrangements to ensure a safe sleeping environment for the baby,” he said.
He conveyed his condolences to the baby’s family for his tragic loss.
