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Woman indicted after second child dies from co-sleeping

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Posted at 1:29 PM, Sep 19, 2022
and last updated 2022-09-19 15:29:07-04

CINCINNATI, Ohio (WCPO) — A grand jury indicted a woman who prosecutors say lost her second child as a result of co-sleeping.

Prosecutors in Cincinnati, Ohio, say Brooke Hunter's infant died in June as a result of co-sleeping.

Hunter reportedly lost another child about a year earlier because of co-sleeping.

The Hamilton County Prosecutor's Office said Hunter was warned about the dangers of co-sleeping after her first child died.

Co-sleeping, or bed-sharing, is when a parent sleeps in close physical or social contact with their child — often in the same bed or on a couch or chair.

The Centers for Disease Control says parents are encouraged to share a room with a baby, "but not the same bed." The CDC reports that there are about 3,500 sleep-related deaths among babies in the U.S. every year.

Prosecutors say since Hunter had been warned about the dangers of co-sleeping, her second child's death is considered a homicide. She was indicted on involuntary manslaughter and endangering children charges.

This story was originally reported by Taylor Weiter on wcpo.com.