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Unsafe sleep practices linked to over a third of infant deaths in New Brunswick: coroner
🇨🇦 Canada /Health & Science

Unsafe sleep practices linked to over a third of infant deaths in New Brunswick: coroner

From Global News · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Official statement Context piece
  • Unsafe sleep practices contributed to over a third of infant deaths in New Brunswick, Canada, between January 2020 and September 2025.
  • The Child Death Review Committee identified these practices as a significant risk factor in 36% of deaths among children under two.
  • The report recommends increased education and collaboration, with several recommendations directed at the Department of Social Development.

Unsafe sleeping practices were implicated in more than one-third of infant deaths in New Brunswick over a five-year period, according to a new report from the Office of the Chief Coroner. The Child Death Review Committee's findings highlight ongoing concerns about preventable infant fatalities.

The report examines cases reviewed by the committee to identify common risk factors and opportunities to help prevent future tragedies.

— Emily CaissyDeputy chief coroner and chair of the committee, explaining the report's purpose.

Between January 1, 2020, and September 11, 2025, the coroner's office investigated 20 child deaths linked to unsafe sleep environments. The review determined that these practices were associated with 36% of all deaths of children under the age of two during that timeframe. In 16 of the 20 cases, unsafe sleep practices were directly identified as the cause of death.

The review found unsafe sleep practices were associated with 36 per cent of all deaths of children under the age of two during that period.

— Department of Justice and Public SafetyStating the key statistic from the report.

Public Safety Minister Robert Gauvin emphasized that the findings underscore the necessity of education and collaborative efforts. The report noted that the Department of Social Development had been involved with the families in 10 of the 20 cases at the time of the children's deaths, leading to half of the report's six recommendations being directed towards the department.

In 16 of the 20 cases, unsafe sleep practices were directly linked to the cause of death.

— Department of Justice and Public SafetyHighlighting the direct causal link found in the investigated cases.

Emily Caissy, deputy chief coroner and chair of the committee, explained that Social Development was identified as a key partner with opportunities for intervention and awareness. The report also addressed the influence of social media, noting that advice on safe sleep practices found online can sometimes be conflicting or lack scientific backing. Caissy specifically pointed to platforms like Instagram and TikTok, where content might encourage co-sleeping or bed-sharing for bonding, contradicting established Canadian guidelines that deem bed-sharing unsafe due to risks of suffocation or accidental injury.

The findings reinforce the need for education and collaboration.

— Robert GauvinPublic Safety Minister, commenting on the report's implications.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Global News in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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