City Health Department Reports Eight Sudden Unexpected Infant Deaths Over Past Decade

The Pasadena Public Health Department reported eight sudden unexpected infant deaths in the city over the past 10 years and is urging parents and caregivers to follow safe-sleep practices during October’s Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Awareness Month.

The department disclosed the local figure in an Oct. 13 news release emphasizing the importance of safe sleeping environments for infants younger than one year. The release did not specify when the eight deaths occurred within the 10-year period.

Sudden unexpected infant death, or SUID, includes Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, known as SIDS, accidental suffocation and strangulation in bed, and infant deaths with undetermined causes. SIDS specifically refers to the sudden, unexplained death of an infant younger than one year.

Nationally, approximately 3,400 sudden unexpected infant deaths occurred in 2024, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The agency classified 1,351 deaths as SIDS, 1,099 as deaths from unknown causes and 947 as accidental suffocation or strangulation in bed.

The Pasadena Public Health Department is encouraging families to follow three basic safe-sleep practices, commonly called the ABCs of Safe Sleep: Alone, Back and Crib.

Infants should sleep alone in their own designated sleeping space, without pillows, blankets, stuffed animals or other loose objects. Babies should be placed on their backs for every sleep, including daytime naps, and should sleep on a firm, flat surface in a crib or bassinet with only a fitted sheet.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that infants sleep in the same room as their parents or caregivers for at least the first six months, but not in the same bed. The organization also advises against placing sleeping infants on sofas or armchairs because of the risk of suffocation.

Although following safe-sleep recommendations can reduce the likelihood of sleep-related infant deaths, the academy cautions that no practice can completely eliminate the risk of SIDS.

Pasadena’s Public Health Department also offers a Safe Sleep Education Program for pregnant individuals and parents of infants, developed in partnership with Cribs for Kids and the Pasadena Child Health Foundation.

According to the city, eligible participants who complete a 45-minute virtual safe-sleep education course receive free supplies, including swaddles, wearable blankets, onesies and educational booklets.

The American Academy of Pediatrics cautions that swaddling itself does not reduce SIDS risk and should be discontinued when an infant begins showing signs of attempting to roll over.

Residents interested in the Pasadena program can contact the Public Health Department’s Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health Family Resource Line at 800-304-0015, email MCAH@CityOfPasadena.net, or complete the department’s online interest and eligibility form at https://bit.ly/SafeSleepForm.