Rates of sudden unexpected infant death increasing in Allegheny County, officials say
Allegheny County health officials said the number of babies who have died from sudden unexpected infant death has more than doubled since 2000.
In a news release on Tuesday, the Allegheny County Health Department said this is a "growing public health crisis" where "most of these tragedies are preventable." Sudden unexpected infant death is the leading cause of death in infants between 1 month and 1 year old.
"We want every baby born in Allegheny County to be able to celebrate their first birthday," Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato said.
The county health director, Dr. Iulia Vann, remembers how uncomfortable she felt putting her children in a crib when they were babies.
"I wanted to be close to them. I had a little bit of separation anxiety during that time," Vann said.
However, she knew that was the safest place for them, not sleeping with her in her bed, or with a pillow, stuffed animal, blanket, or bumpers.
"On their back, on a flat surface, in their own space, with nothing else in the crib," Vann said on Tuesday.
This is what safe sleep means, though Dr. Vann said countless families are not exercising these practices, because SUID cases in the county have gone from nine cases in 2020 to 23 in 2024, and already 12 about halfway into 2026. Sudden unexpected infant death disproportionately impacts Black infants, the county said. Between 2023 and 2025, Black infants were twice as likely to die.
It's why her department and local organizations like Cribs for Kids and Healthy Start are bringing an urgent call to action with a new campaign, with messages on buses, billboards, and the radio, in the areas where they're seeing the highest number of cases.
"The goal is simple: Every neighborhood deserves healthy babies and safe homes," Dr. Vann said.
The thing is, they said the majority of cases show families have a known and available safe sleep location in their home.
"Small action, such as placing babies on their backs to sleep in an uncluttered crib, can save a baby's life," said Judy Bannon, CEO of Cribs for Kids.
Health officials want families to know that help is out there and that it's OK to ask for it because no one can do it alone.
"This is not about blaming parents; it's about addressing the systemic barriers that families face every day," Allegheny County Department of Children, Youth, and Families Director Mandeep Gill said.
