To view our videos, you need to
enable JavaScript. Learn how.
install Adobe Flash 9 or above. Install now.

Then come back here and refresh the page.

SALISBURY – Police in Spencer, N.C., are investigating the death of a baby who died while sleeping in bed with a parent. In response to that case and other parent concerns, the Rowan County Department of Social Services held a round-table discussion about child well-being.

Part of the discussion focused on co-sleeping, or letting an infant sleep in bed with its parents.

“Every parent would want to do everything they could to provide the best care for their child,” Veronica Smith, a parent and participant in the discussion, said. “Every now and then, we may co-sleep just when she’s having a really bad night and needs some extra attention.”

But officials with the Department of Social Services said keeping infants in their cribs keeps them safe at night.

“The dangers with the infant being small and fragile and sometimes the parent or guardian sleeping with them: anything can happen, rolling over or suffocation,” Dr. Nilious Avery, president of the Rowan County Department of Social Services Board, said.

Others said co-sleeping has its benefits, as long as parents are careful.

According to the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association, co-sleeping can help both the child and parents sleep better. It can increase breast feeding and could prevent sudden infant death syndrome.

The Department of Social Services selected co-sleeping as a topic after a December 2008 fatality review found co-sleeping to be a factor in the death of an eight-month-old last year.