A mom has been charged with manslaughter following the death of her second child.
As reported by the New York Post, 23-year-old Brook Hunter had been indicted on charges of involuntary manslaughter and endangering children after co-sleeping with her 6-week-old baby.
The mom - from Cincinnati, Ohio - was reportedly co-sleeping with her child on the evening of June 22, per the Hamilton County Prosecutor’s Office.
"Co-sleeping" is the practice of sleeping in close physical contact with a baby or child - often in the same bed. NCT.org states that there are situations where co-sleeping can increase the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and that the "safest place for your baby to sleep in their first six months is in a separate Moses basket or cot in the same room as you".
However, the child's death comes a year after Hunter lost another child as a result of co-sleeping, per Assistant Prosecutor Amy Clausing.
Speaking to Cincinnati local news affiliates WCPO-9 and FOX19, Clausing was warned about the dangers of and risks associated with co-sleeping following her first child's death.
As a result, the infant's death was deemed a homicide due to the fact that the mother had already received warnings over the practice, and a warrant was issued for Hunter's arrest.
NBC News, Clausing said in a statement:
"Last year, Hunter had another 6-week-old who was killed in the same circumstance almost exactly a year prior. She was advised of the dangers of co-sleeping at the time. As a result, the death of this child was ruled a homicide by the coroner's office."
Per the American Academy of Pediatrics, approximately 3,500 babies die "suddenly and unexpectedly" in the United States every year.
"Most of these tragic deaths are due to sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) or accidental deaths from suffocation or strangulation," the AAP website reports.
To reduce the risk of these tragic incidents, the AAP advises parents to "never sleep with your baby", adding: "Based on the evidence, the AAP doesn't recommend bed sharing with your baby under any circumstances."
The organization adds that if you do bring your child into your bed to comfort or feed them, "place them in their own sleep space when you're ready to go to sleep".
The AAP also highlights the particular danger of falling asleep with a child while on other types of furniture, detailing that "the risk of sleep-related infant death is up to 67 times higher when infants sleep with someone on a couch, soft armchair or cushion."
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