6-Month-Old Baby Found Dead In Cot With Curtain Wrapped Around His Face

A 6-month-old baby in South Africa was found dead in his cot with a curtain, used to protect him from mosquito bites, wrapped around his face and body.

According to local reports, the child was found unresponsive by his father and the KwaZulu Natal police have launched an investigation into the incident.

Police spokesperson Captain Nqobile Gwala said, "The curtain used to protect the baby from being bitten by mosquitoes had wrapped around his face and body. An inquest docket is being investigated."

“According to the father he fell asleep and when he returned to check on the baby he found the curtain wrapped around his neck. The child was unresponsive and cyanosed," Prem Balram, director of Reaction Unit SA, told iol.co.za.

Gwala said the baby was declared dead at the scene. The mother of the child was not at home at the time of the incident.

The family members have urged police to investigate the incident following the child's untimely death.

Durban and Coastal Mental Health social worker and Phoenix Network Forum chairwoman, Sharleen Pillay, said the nation was shocked by the loss of the child, who was born prematurely on May 22. Raising concerns about the incident, she urged the public to take care of their mental health.

“Adults are currently overwhelmed with having to provide the necessities for their families and they lose focus of the emotional stability that they have to contribute to their family,” she said, according to Phoenix Sun.

Pillay also urged parents to ensure children are well supervised and not left alone. Parents and other adults were asked to refrain from alcohol and substance intake so that they can efficiently supervise children during the festive season.

Last month, police arrested a woman in Utah after she left her 4-month-old daughter outside the baby's father's home in the cold. The woman was charged with child abandonment.

According to reports, the child was outside for 30 minutes before she was rescued by a neighbor. Paramedics shortly arrived at the scene and the baby was rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment as she had fever.