Baby Dies While Sleeping In Car Seat

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Baby Put In Car Seat To Sleep And Dies From Positional Asphyxiation

Derek and Ali Dodd dropped their baby son, Shepard, off at the daycare.

At the day care, an employee placed the child to bed in a car seat instead of a crib. 2 hours later, when the employee returned to check on Shepard, he was completely blue.

It was too late to call 911 as Shepard had already passed away.

This incident serves as a serious warning to parents – Babies are never to be set to bed in a car seat or a bouncer.

Sleeping in this kind of seats can suffocate a baby if they are not strapped in correctly.

The cause of death in this incident has been recorded as “positional asphyxiation.”

Derek shared this story in order to raise awareness to parents and caregivers. He does not want other parents to go through the same horrific fate he and his family have experienced.

“Positional asphyxiation” is a term not often heard and to show just how “unknown” this issue is, Ali pointed out that the initial report failed to include their son Shepard’s death.

“What it says on there for our incident…it says she allowed a baby to sleep in a car seat. It doesn’t say anything about him dying. Even parents, wouldn’t even know that he died in her care.”

The family was even more devastated that the day care had received a warning about putting children to sleep in car seats just days prior to the incident.

“She knew better. She was counseled just days before by DHS. She had had a violation eleven days before.”

The day care had recently had their license revoked, following the incident.

 

 

25 Comments

  1. Brook Hoke

    January 1, 2017 at 10:38 pm

    Always have then strapped securely when in a car seat. They can move and in a loose strap choke themselves

  2. Karina Perez Altamirano

    January 1, 2017 at 10:40 pm

    Juan Robles

  3. Karina Perez Altamirano

    January 1, 2017 at 10:40 pm

    Sandra Tamariz

  4. Crystal Avellaneda

    January 1, 2017 at 10:45 pm

    Denise Marie Alvarado

  5. Ashley Esposito

    January 1, 2017 at 10:45 pm

    Devastating for this family

    Obviously children should be placed to sleep in cribs, but this makes it sound as though car seats are death traps for infants. What about families that have to travel for 8hrs +/- in a car? If you have a baby strapped in a car seat correctly, a car seat is a safe place to sleep during travel. Obviously at home, a crib is the best place for them.

    • Phyllis Miles King

      January 1, 2017 at 10:48 pm

      While traveling you are right beside them in the car.

    • Ashley Esposito

      January 1, 2017 at 10:49 pm

      Phyllis Miles King not always

    • Ashley Esposito

      January 1, 2017 at 10:49 pm

      But you have air on, check on them often, etc

    • Kenea Dhillon

      January 1, 2017 at 11:31 pm

      Take breaks if you are traveling with babies…
      though i wouldnt recommend taking a baby on an 8+ hour drive unless its a necessity…

    • Ashley Esposito

      January 1, 2017 at 11:34 pm

      Kenea Dhillon my hubby and I are military and I have a lot of friends who have had to drive across country with little babies. Sleeping in a car seat while properly restrained is not a danger. It’s when their buckles are loose, they scoot down(think chin against chest) and they cut off air that way, or the chest straps triangles them. Also, being seated in the car seat base, it’s tilted backwards a bit, where it sits more upright on the floor.

    • Annabelle Berger

      January 1, 2017 at 11:42 pm

      You need to take them out every 45 min if possible

    • Ashley Esposito

      January 1, 2017 at 11:44 pm

      Annabelle Berger says who?

  6. Phyllis Miles King

    January 1, 2017 at 10:47 pm

    So sad

  7. Liliana Pero

    January 1, 2017 at 10:50 pm

    Peter Pero

  8. Mindy Stevens

    January 1, 2017 at 11:01 pm

    Positional asphyxia occurs when a baby slouches down in a car seat or infant rocker and their airway closes. Newborns and young infants don’t have the neck strength to lift their heads enough to breathe.
    An infant should always be lied flat on their back to sleep; always on their back.

  9. Jennifer Licata

    January 1, 2017 at 11:26 pm

    Poor baby

  10. Laura Jess

    January 1, 2017 at 11:26 pm

    Outside of the car, even when strapped in correctly, an infant might be at risk for this because of the angle of the seat. In the car, the seat’s angle is adjusted to best protect a baby. And it is recommended to always stop, check, and reposition a baby every 2 hours of drive time.

  11. Sharon Kevin Flanagan

    January 1, 2017 at 11:46 pm

    OMG this is so so sad.where has common sense gone.and to check on a baby 2hrs later. WtF RIP angel and prayers for the family.

  12. Paige Perkins

    January 2, 2017 at 12:28 am

    Tasha Hazard

  13. Angela Katherine

    January 2, 2017 at 5:26 am

    Alicia Kintz
    Aimee Alford

  14. Amanda Cohen

    January 2, 2017 at 3:15 pm

    Layton Penza

  15. Voiceless Lives Matter

    January 2, 2017 at 5:55 pm

    I feel anger and utter sadness for such a senseless death. 2 hours till she checked on him too?!?

  16. Lovely Yah

    January 2, 2017 at 6:23 pm

    Yoselin Estrada

  17. Kristy Sprunger

    January 2, 2017 at 8:28 pm

    Lawsuit

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