Education truly is key in saving the lives of infants, the county coroner said.

A public education effort last year led by the coroner’s office and its partners resulted in an extended period with no sleep-related infant deaths, said Dr. Tom Blomquist, Lucas County coroner.

“In October of 2024, for public education by our department and surrounding partners, we noticed after that push last October, we had a six-month period where we had no safe sleep-related infant deaths for Lucas County,” he said.

The unprecedented stretch with no sleep-related deaths stands as a testament to both the effectiveness of community engagement and the urgent need for ongoing education, Dr. Blomquist said.

“On average, for Lucas County and for our surrounding counties, we see here 25 to 30 infant deaths pe

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