Bideford baby found dead after sharing bed with dad

A five-month-old baby from Bideford was tragically found lifeless in a gap between a bed and the wall while sleeping with his dad. The cause of the healthy boy's death was confirmed as positional asphyxia.

An inquest at Exeter Coroner’s Court today, July 10, heard the baby, who DevonLive has chosen not to name, had initially been put to bed in his cot but was disturbed in the early hours of the morning after his older sister awoke.

She was put to sleep in her parent's bed while the baby's dad gave him a feed and then put him back to sleep in his sister's bed and slept beside him.

Tragically, when his mum went to check on them in the morning on July 18, 2023, as they had planned a trip to the zoo, the baby was found unresponsive. Despite CPR being carried out by his mum and paramedics, he was unable to be revived.

Dr Samantha Holden, a consultant paediatric pathologist based at Southampton General Hospital, stated in the post-mortem report that the position he was found did 'not necessarily' indicate it was the position where he died but that it was 'possible' overlaying resulted in a change in position. The cause of death was confirmed as positional asphyxia.

Alison Longhorn, area coroner for Exeter and Greater Devon, said: "It is likely the position in which he was found restricted his ability to breathe."

Recording a narrative conclusion, she said: "He died having suffered positional asphyxia when sharing a bed with an adult."

Police confirmed there were no suspicious circumstances