DCF Task Force to Focus on Sleeping Death Prevention

  The northeast regional office of the Florida Department of Children and Families has formed a child death prevention task force following the deaths of seven infants linked to unsafe sleeping practices, the Florida Times-Union reports. The task force will include hospitals, law enforcement, non-profits and social service agencies and will focus on preventing unsafe sleeping habits such as bed-sharing, placing items such as blankets and toys in a crib and putting the baby to sleep on his or her stomach. According to the Times-Union, statewide data from DCF shows about 20 percent of child deaths in 2014 were because of unsafe sleeping or sudden infant death syndrome/sudden unexpected infant deaths.