String of infant deaths in Sacramento County may put spotlight on SIDS

Five infants died during an 11-day span that ended February 15 in Sacramento County, coroner records show.

The most recent was reported Sunday night at Methodist Hospital of Sacramento, where a 4-month-old male infant was transported for unknown reasons. Sacramento Police Department logs say a preliminary investigation showed no signs of foul play, which was also the case in two other instances that police responded to.

In at least one instance—the death of a 2-month-old male infant on February 5—Sudden Infant Death Syndrome was listed as the preliminary cause by the coroner.

In that case, first responders were called to render medical aid to an infant at a home in the city’s southwest that Thursday morning. Officers performed CPR and the child was rushed to a hospital, where he was pronounced deceased, logs state.

Coroner Kimberly Gin told SN&R that SIDS deaths aren’t uncommon this time of year.

Another 1-month-old boy, as well as two girls—a 1-year-old and 3-month old from Oroville—were among the children who died during the recent stretch.

For the year thus far, seven children age two years and younger have died in the county.

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