A mother from North Carolina faces charges of involuntary murder for accidentally causing the death of her baby while co-sleeping under the influence of alcohol, a year after a similar incident involving her oldest child.
Mackenzie Katlyn Reed, 24, faces charges of felony child abuse and involuntary manslaughter following the death of her baby, Zhen, on October 3, 2023.
North Carolina Mom Charged After Second Co-Sleeping Tragedy
The authorities released details of a tragic incident involving a 24-year-old woman named Mackenzie Reed, who is facing charges after her second child suffocated while co-sleeping. According to the police, this marks the second child Reed has tragically lost in the same way.
When police arrived at a report on October 3, they found an unconscious infant which was not breathing. This was the start of the upsetting incident that happened all through the night. It was not possible to bring the newborn back to life despite the efforts of the first responder.
This is not the first time Reed has experienced such a loss. In 2022, she lost another child due to co-sleeping, although she was not charged at the time due to insufficient evidence.
The incident has brought back fears among health professionals regarding the risks of co-sleeping, a discussed practice in which babies sleep on the same surface as their parents or guardians. Dr. Lori Tackman, a pediatrician, identified the dangers of this practice, cautioning about the risk of suffocation if infants roll or come near pillows.
Reed has been charged with felony child abuse serious harm, involuntary manslaughter, and child abuse/neglect essential injuries. These charges were brought against Reed by the authorities. Currently, she is being detained on a bail of $500,000 in debt.
The investigation, which continued over a period of months, came to the view that both of Reed's infants had suffocated while they were sleeping together. Co-sleeping is strongly discouraged by the American Academy of Pediatrics, which states that even while parents should sleep in the same room as their kid during the first six months of their child's life, they should not sleep in the same bed. On the other hand, they urge for the use of bassinets or cribs that do not contain any soft toys, pillows, blankets, or other forms of bedding, according to WSAZ 3.
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Infant Deaths Linked to Unsafe Sleeping Conditions
The academy reports that around 3,500 infants pass away annually because of sleep-related problems, with unsafe sleeping conditions like co-sleeping with parents increasing the danger.
Details emerged from a police report indicating that Reed had been using THC products before the incident. The report mentioned that Reed had fed the infant before falling asleep with him beside her, leading to the tragic outcome.
Reed's arrest on March 6 identified the severe outcomes of co-sleeping incidents. Even with the joint attempts of authorities and health experts to advocate safe sleep practices, unfortunate incidents like this one still happen.
Meanwhile, a Facebook profile purportedly belonging to Reed posted about the heartbreak of experiencing a second loss, sharing links to a GoFundMe page set up in memory of the deceased infant.
As the investigation progresses, the community must cope with the effects of another tragic loss caused by co-sleeping. It is crucial to continue establishing the need for awareness and preventive measures to protect infants during sleep and avoid future tragedies, The News Observer reported.
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