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This Child Fatality information provided by the Injury & Violence Prevention section of the Office of Disease Prevention & Epidemiology.
Suffocation Deaths  There were 17 deaths from suffocation in 1999. Suffocation deaths among children numbered
12 in 1997 and 25 in 1998. Of the 17 deaths in 1999, 41% (7) were unintentional, 24% (4)
were suicides, 18% (3) were homicides, and 18% (3) were undetermined.
The mechanisms of death in these cases included self hanging in 24% (4) of deaths, parents
rolling over on top of a child in a bed or couch in 24% (4) of deaths, and a variety of other
mechanisms each accounting for 1 or 2 deaths. No choking deaths occurred.
Of the 4 deaths by self hanging, 75% (3) were male. All were white. Three (75%) of these children came from families with a history of receiving services from the SCF. Two children had a documented history of a social/emotional disability and three had diagnosed mental health problems. Three of the victims had also been involved with juvenile justice with past arrests/convictions for crimes. A more complete discussion of all suicide/intentional self harm deaths can be found in the Special Topics: Suicide/Intentional Self Harm Section.
Manner of death (or intent) is often difficult to determine in overlay deaths. Of the 4 over-lay
deaths all were classified as unintentional. There was no death scene investigation in one
of the deaths.
Recommendations to Prevent Suffocation Deaths
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All 4 overlay deaths occurred in children under one year of age. They all died at their own
home. A history of alcohol or drug abuse was found to be a factor in one of these cases. Three of these children had a history of receiving services from SCF.
