A coronial inquest has found the death of a Wellington baby in July last year was the result of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.
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The baby girl, referred to as KB, was 24 days old when she passed away on July 29, 2013.
Deputy State Coroner, Magistrate Sharon Freund, found KB's brother, MB, had also died of SIDS in 2006, aged nine months old. The family was living at Macquarie Fields at the time.
The inquest was held at Glebe Coroners Court on Thursday because risk of harm reports had been filed by Department of Community Services about the two children and their siblings.
The coroner heard MB was the sixth child of parents FB and PB and along with his five siblings had previously been part of risk of harm report. He had been sick since birth and two days before his death, he fell from the fourth step of a staircase in the family home. Apart from swelling and bruising, no other injuries were noted.
The court heard at 9pm on November 29, FB placed MB on his back on the lounge at the family home. The parents and two other children slept on mattress at the bottom of the lounge.
At 3am, the inquest heard, FB woke and discovered MB lying face down on the mattress. She noticed he was blue and alerted PB, who performed CPR while an ambulance was called. MB was taken to Liverpool Hospital but pronounced dead at 5.30am.
The death was regarded as a case of sudden unexpected death in infancy in a child in an unsafe sleeping environment (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Category II).
The coroner heard how in 2009, FB and PB's five children were removed and placed in the care of the state because of the unhygienic state of home environment, lack of supervision and domestic violence.
The inquest was told in 2010 FB and PB had another child. Between 2010 and 2012 the baby was the subject of three risk of harm reports while KB was the subject of two, while prenatal. There were also five non-risk of harm contacts. Reports included emotional state of carer, inadequate shelter or homelessness and drug abuse by carer.
KB was born on July 5, 2013 as the eighth child of FB and PB. After her birth the family received home visits and assistance and it was noted she was clean and well cared for.It was noted that KB slept in a pram because the family didn't have a cot but arrangements were being made to help the family get a cot.
The coroner was told on the evening on July 28, 2013, there was an argument that resulted in FB lying down on the lounge to watch television with KB in her arms. FB provided evidence that she knew the risks of co-sleeping and didn't intend to sleep on the lounge but accidently fell asleep with KB in her arms. About 3.50am the following morning FB woke up and discovered KB had slipped down between her and the back of the lounge. She discovered KB was unresponsive and purple in colour. FB screamed for PB who commenced CPR while FB called an ambulance however nothing could be done and KB was pronounced dead at 4.30am.
A post mortem couldn't detect any abnormalities that could account for death.
Magistrate Freund heard evidence from both parents at the inquest, with both appearing affected by the loss of their children.
The coroner's report found the evidence indicated nothing suspicious about the deaths of MB and KB but found unsafe sleeping practices played a major role in both deaths.