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| Alcohol warning after babies die | Alcohol warning after babies die |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| A coroner has warned parents not to share a bed with young children after drinking alcohol, after two babies died in separate incidents in the same town. | |
| Three-month-old Theo Linus Frith and 16-month-old Aiden Barrios-Santana both died while asleep with their parents, who had been drinking. | Three-month-old Theo Linus Frith and 16-month-old Aiden Barrios-Santana both died while asleep with their parents, who had been drinking. |
| Both incidents happened in Bournemouth, Dorset, earlier this year. | Both incidents happened in Bournemouth, Dorset, earlier this year. |
| Coroner Sheriff Payne recorded open verdicts in both cases at Poole and East Dorset Coroner's Court. | Coroner Sheriff Payne recorded open verdicts in both cases at Poole and East Dorset Coroner's Court. |
| Mr Payne said their was no evidence to suggest either child had been accidentally suffocated. A key message to keep your baby safe and healthy is that the safest place for your baby to sleep - night and day - is in a crib or cot in a room with you Coroner Sheriff Payne | Mr Payne said their was no evidence to suggest either child had been accidentally suffocated. A key message to keep your baby safe and healthy is that the safest place for your baby to sleep - night and day - is in a crib or cot in a room with you Coroner Sheriff Payne |
| In both cases the cause of death was unexplained. | In both cases the cause of death was unexplained. |
| During the inquest into Theo's death, the court heard how his parents Jennifer North and Darren Frith were heavily intoxicated when they slept with their only child in October. | During the inquest into Theo's death, the court heard how his parents Jennifer North and Darren Frith were heavily intoxicated when they slept with their only child in October. |
| Ms North had been put to bed by her lodger, who had found her collapsed on the floor upstairs. Theo had been asleep downstairs in a pram. | Ms North had been put to bed by her lodger, who had found her collapsed on the floor upstairs. Theo had been asleep downstairs in a pram. |
| The lodger helped Ms North stagger to bed and tucked Theo into his cot in his mother's room, the court heard. | The lodger helped Ms North stagger to bed and tucked Theo into his cot in his mother's room, the court heard. |
| The lodger heard the baby cry until about 0500 GMT when Mr Frith woke to feed him. The couple later woke to find him dead. | The lodger heard the baby cry until about 0500 GMT when Mr Frith woke to feed him. The couple later woke to find him dead. |
| Calculations showed that at 0300 GMT Ms North had been about four times the drink-drive limit, while Mr Frith had been about three times the drink-drive limit. | Calculations showed that at 0300 GMT Ms North had been about four times the drink-drive limit, while Mr Frith had been about three times the drink-drive limit. |
| 'A cuddle' | 'A cuddle' |
| During the inquest, Mr Payne read advice from the Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths. | During the inquest, Mr Payne read advice from the Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths. |
| "A key message to keep your baby safe and healthy is that the safest place for your baby to sleep - night and day - is in a crib or cot in a room with you for the first six months. | "A key message to keep your baby safe and healthy is that the safest place for your baby to sleep - night and day - is in a crib or cot in a room with you for the first six months. |
| "It's especially dangerous for your baby to sleep in your bed if you or your partner are a smoker, even if you never smoke in bed or at home, have been drinking alcohol, take medication or drugs that make you drowsy, feel very tired or if your baby was premature, low birth weight or less than three months old." | "It's especially dangerous for your baby to sleep in your bed if you or your partner are a smoker, even if you never smoke in bed or at home, have been drinking alcohol, take medication or drugs that make you drowsy, feel very tired or if your baby was premature, low birth weight or less than three months old." |
| A separate inquest into the death of 16-month-old Aiden heard that his parents had been drinking in moderation at a wedding in September. | A separate inquest into the death of 16-month-old Aiden heard that his parents had been drinking in moderation at a wedding in September. |
| Mr Barrios-Santana, an engineer, had also smoked a marijuana cigarette before going to bed. | Mr Barrios-Santana, an engineer, had also smoked a marijuana cigarette before going to bed. |
| Aiden's mother, a day nursery manager, had taken the toddler to bed for a cuddle because he would not settle. | Aiden's mother, a day nursery manager, had taken the toddler to bed for a cuddle because he would not settle. |
| They later woke to find him dead. | They later woke to find him dead. |
| Parents arrested | Parents arrested |
| Dr Janet Kelsall told Aiden's inquest she was not aware of any existing specific advice for older children that had been based on large amounts of research. | Dr Janet Kelsall told Aiden's inquest she was not aware of any existing specific advice for older children that had been based on large amounts of research. |
| "The older children get, they can walk in to the bed and climb into the bed. It can occur without the parents being aware." | "The older children get, they can walk in to the bed and climb into the bed. It can occur without the parents being aware." |
| Both Theo's parents were arrested at hospital following his death but were released without charge. | Both Theo's parents were arrested at hospital following his death but were released without charge. |
| They had previously been arrested on 30 August for being drunk in charge of a child, near Boscombe pier, for which they accepted a caution. | They had previously been arrested on 30 August for being drunk in charge of a child, near Boscombe pier, for which they accepted a caution. |
| After the inquests, Dr Adrian Dawson, director of Public Health for NHS Bournemouth and Poole, said some people would "occasionally drink too much". | After the inquests, Dr Adrian Dawson, director of Public Health for NHS Bournemouth and Poole, said some people would "occasionally drink too much". |
| "At times like these, where parents have young children, their first responsibility must remain to the safety and well-being of their child, which may for example, mean making alternative childcare arrangements." | "At times like these, where parents have young children, their first responsibility must remain to the safety and well-being of their child, which may for example, mean making alternative childcare arrangements." |