The annual Kern County Child Death Review shows unsafe sleeping conditions are still a problem, with two deaths blamed on co-sleeping with a parent. Russ Hasting from Public Health Services told Supervisors Tuesday there were at least 10 other cases last year where it was suspected. “We want to call on all hospitals in Kern County to ensure that every infant…has a safe sleep environment in place before they are discharged from the hospital after delivery. Most deaths for kids younger than 14 were due to crashes, injuries or drowning, while seven teenagers were homicides and five were suicides.

Suzanne Grant