Investigation into Four Easter Sunday Baby Deaths

A day of celebration for many in the area brought tragedy to the families of four babies on Easter Sunday - one in Staten Island and three in Brooklyn. While police do not suspect any wrongdoing in the Brooklyn cases, they are questioning the parents of 7-week-old Matthew Mason in Staten Island. Matthew was found unresponsive by his uncle and was reportedly two pounds lighter than his birth weight.

In Brooklyn, 4-month-old Summer Pinckney was found by her mother with blood dripping from her mouth as they were leaving for church, Briana Russell, also 4-months old, was found unconscious in her bed, and 3-month-old Alyssa Sanford died of unknown causes.

The medical examiner will determine the cause of death for all four children.

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By tien mao in News on March 24, 2008 8:20 AM

Comments [rss]

Barbj8

SIDS cannot be blamed for 3 of these deaths. A 7 week old baby should not have lost 2 pounds; SIDS does not cause "blood dripping from the mouth"; SIDS is sudden, it doesn't start with unconsciousness. Only the last death may be attributed to SIDS

tien

well, snoopy. assuming no foul play, the infant mortality rate (defined as infants less than one) in nyc in 2006 was 5.9 for every 1000 births. there were 740 deaths in 2006, so about 2 a year. so i would say that 4 is an abnormal number of deaths in one day.

i believe that figure doesn't include foul play.

nonumentalart

its called SIDS

Snoopy

Terribly tragic news.

I realize it was Easter, but does this number of infant deaths in one day in New York City occur more frequently then is reported?