-second child tragedy for mom
Five years after her three-year-old son died by drowning, Alexis Gravesande’s world is once again in upheaval after her four-month-old baby girl was discovered dead in their home early yesterday morning.
Princess Ashiba James never responded when he tried to wake her, a grieving Sherwin James, the girl’s father said, as his child lay in the bed close-by. Neighbours surrounded the North Ruimveldt Squatting Area home yesterday, discussing the incident as police and a hearse waited for approval to remove the body.
Gravesande told Stabroek News that at around 2 am yesterday, she left home to carry her nephew to the George-town Public Hospital. She said that James was left with their daughter, both sleeping on the same bed and she was told that when he got up, he observed their daughter lying “stiff”. James told this newspaper that he awoke at about 6:30 am and observed his daughter and though he turned her over and attempted to wake her, he got no response. He stated that he called an aunt and she checked the little child and they then called Gravesande.
Gravesande stated that when she returned home, she saw her daughter lying on the bed dead and she began crying. The police were called and were still there when this newspaper visited the home yesterday. The baby’s body had not yet been removed and was lying on the bed covered by netting. The grieving woman said that she knew of no medical problems that her daughter had nor was she sick recently. A post-mortem examination will be done today.
The baby girl was Gravesande’s fourth child. On New Year’s Day in 2004, her three-year-old son died by drowning.
What exactly was her position of sleep? The part “and though he turned her over” suggests that she was sleeping on her stomach.
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is the term usually applied to instances where no other cause of death could be found. One of the main recommendations is that infants should not be left to sleep on the stomachs.
This along with other matters such as Shaken Baby Syndrome are matters discussed with mothers before leaving hospitals in North America.
This looks fishy, but lets wait on the autopsy.
There is nothing fishy about this…. Read CFO’s comments and get some knowledge before jumping to hasty conclusions
This is sad, the baby may have suffocated due to the position she was in the bed, parents must be careful how they put young babies to sleep, my condolences goes out to the family.
No responsible adult sleeps in a bed with a four-month-old infant. My sympathies to the grieving Gravesande’s family.
That is for North America.Nothing is wrong sleeping with your child,but I think some men sleep bad and are not as conscious as a mother.Maybe he squeezed the child and was not aware.Something indeed does not add up.I am awaiting the post mortem.
THIS IS TRUE. I HAVE 2 KIDS, BOTH OF MY KIDS WHEN THEY WERE INFANTS SLEPT BETWEEN MY HUSBAND & I. mY DAUGHTER IS NOW FIVE & A HALY & SLEEPS WITH MY MOM NOW & MY SON IS 1 & 1/2 & STILL SLEEP WITH ME & MY HUSBAND. I DO UNDERSTAND NOT ALL PARENTS ARE AWARE OF THE BABY NEXT TO THEM BUT NO POINTING OF FINGERS IN THIS CASE. WHAT IF WAS THE MOTHER SLEEPING WITH THE BABY & THAT HAPPEN… WAIT UNTIL THE POST MORTEM RESULT IS OUT BEFORE MAKING JUDGEMENTS.
Why is that for North America? Can you explain? What about Africa and Asia and Australia and Europe and the Middle East?
my heart goes out to the baby’s parent… it is never an easy thing to loose a loved one, especially one of ur own!
Sympathies to the family!!
THE ARTICLE SAYS THE BABY AND THE FATHER WAS ASLEEP IN THE SAME BED; IT COULD BE THE FATHER UNKNOWINGLY ROLLED ONTO THE CHILD, AND
SUFFERCATING HER, WHICH CAUSED HER DEATH…….MEDICAL ADVISE IS PARENTS AND VERY YOUNG CHILDREN SHOULD NOT SLEEP IN THE SAME BED. THIS HAS BEN KNOWN TO HAVE HAPPENED BEFORE, IT IS UNFORTUNATE BUT THE BASIC RULE IS BABIES SHOULD HAVE THEIR OWN BEDS OR CRIBS. MY CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILY…..PRINCESS ASHIBA RIP.
I AGREE, ALTHOUGH IT IS SOME COMFORT TO PARENTS TO SLEEP WITH THEIR INFANTS, WE “MUST” PUT THE CHILDS SAFETY FIRST…AND NO IT DOES NOT HAPPEN TO EVERYONE…WE MUST GIVE THANKS THAT THIS SITUATION DID NOT BEFALL YOUR FAMILIEST. IT IS A TERRIBLE ,GUILT-RIDDEN SITUATION THAT THESE PARENTS WILL FACE FOR THEIR ENTIRE LIVES….CAST NO BLAME PEOPLE, THE SITUATION COULD BE YOUR CROSS TO BARE, WE ARE NOT ABOVE TERRIBLE SITATIONS. THIS FAMILY IS GREIVING, THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS TO THEM.
My mother had 6 kids and her mother had 10. All of their babies slept in the parents’ bed.
Wow! So heart breaking for the mother. My sympathies.
I don’t think new mothers in Guyana are given the same type of advice that they are given in the US, CA or elsewhere. It is not uncommon for babies to sleep with their parents, but parents have to be aware of their child. Something seems out of sorts, but it could just be SIDS. Let’s wait and see. If the father was at fault, he will have to live with that for the rest of his life.