Initiative Aimed At Preventing Sudden Infant Deaths

Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan has begun a campaign aimed at preventing sudden unexpected infant deaths.

The campaign will include outreach to OB/GYN and pediatric offices, free regional community workshops for expectant and new parents on infant sleep safety, and a smartphone app that promotes safe sleep tips.

Sudden unexpected infant death is the leading cause of death among babies in the first year of life. More than 2,000 babies die each year in sleep-related deaths across the United States. In Massachusetts, it is the third leading cause of death statewide for children under the age of one, ranging from between 30 and 50 deaths each year.

Over the last five years, the District Attorney's Office has responded to and investigated 19 sleep-related infant deaths throughout Middlesex County.