Infant's death highlights danger of babies sleeping in adult's bed

The tragic death of a Gisborne baby has highlighted the risks of adults co-sleeping with babies.

A coroner's report into the death of a one-month-old boy at a Kaiti address in February 2009 found the child died from asphyxiation while sleeping in the same bed as his mother.

The baby, referred to as "baby T", was found dead, lying on his back with a pillow covering his face.

The child's mother had been drinking with neighbours on the evening before baby T's death, leaving the child asleep in her bed under the care of her 12-year-old son.

The following day about 8.30am an acquaintance of the baby's mother arrived at the home to drink alcohol with her. When woken by her friend, the baby's mother "immediately expressed concern for [baby T]", who the friend had not noticed on her bed.

CPR was given to the child and an ambulance called, but unfortunately the baby was
deceased.

An autopsy found the death of baby T - an "anatomically normal male infant with no evidence of injury and no evidence of infection to satisfactorily explain the cause of his death" - was Sudden Unexpected Death in Infancy (SUDI).

Coroner Chris Devonport noted that the baby's mother told police - sometime after baby T's death - there was a "possibility that someone had entered the house while she was sleeping and put a pillow over [baby T's] head, suffocating him". Police found no evidence to support the claims.

She also claimed she was struck on the head with a hammer while sleeping, however Mr Devonport also said there was a lack of evidence to back the claim, with a fall from a fence she scaled after running from a neighbour's property the night before likely explaining her rib and head injuries.

"There is no evidence that the extreme criminal act alleged by [baby T's mother] took place. She herself did not witness any such action."

Mr Devonport said the baby's mother had consumed "at least seven bottles of beer and one alco-pop drink" placing the baby at greater risk.

"I am satisfied, on the evidence that I have heard and that I have before me, [baby T] died from asphyxiation while co-sleeping with [his mother]."

The coroner stated the family and the baby not to be identified.

- HERALD ONLINE