A new provincial review is raising concerns about unsafe infant sleep practices and how they continue to play a role in preventable child deaths in New Brunswick.
The Office of the Chief Coroner released a report from the Child Death Review Committee that found unsafe sleep practices were a direct cause or a contributing factor in 20 child deaths between Jan. 1, 2020, and Sept. 11, 2025.
The committee says those practices were associated with 36 per cent of all deaths of children under the age of two during that period, and in 16 of the 20 cases, they were directly linked to the cause of death.
Public Safety Minister Robert Gauvin said the findings point to ways to prevent future losses.
“Every child’s death is a tragedy, and this report identifies opportunities to prevent future losses,” Gauvin said in a government release.
He added that the results reinforce the need for continued public awareness, education and collaboration across government, health care providers and community partners.
The report outlines six recommendations. They include strengthening safe sleep education in child welfare training, improving hospital discharge practices and updating public health messaging.
The committee also recommends publicly releasing the report.
Unsafe sleep practices include placing infants on their side or stomach, sharing a bed, using adult beds or couches, and having soft bedding, toys or other items in a baby’s sleep space, according to the review.
The committee says social media narratives are increasingly portraying these setups, especially sharing a bed, as safe alternatives.
Federal health authorities recommend infants sleep alone, on their backs, in a crib, cradle or bassinet free of blankets, pillows and toys.
The Child Death Review Committee is an independent advisory body that conducts reviews of child deaths to identify opportunities for system improvements and help prevent future tragedies.
