Last week’s death of 7-month old Jaylen McFarland, at the Swift Creek Apartment Complex in Hartsville raises plenty questions left to answer.
It also leaves the City of Hartsville in far too familiar circumstances and it’s something that Casey Copeland has tried to prevent.
“April 2013 we lost 4 children and fast forward a year later to last may actually we lost had lost 7 children…young children.,” said Copeland, Director at the Florence-Darlington Technical College Hartsville campus.
In that year times span Hartsville had a 600 percent increase in its preventable child mortality rate, which up from its average one death per year.
Despite the decline in infant mortality rates statewide, the number of accidental suffocations and strangulations in bed has doubled since 2004.
“I have a child and they don’t come with a rule book. So we have to share information that we have with each other in our schools, community organizations,” Copeland explained.
This past summer, the Hartsville community rallied in a series of meetings to brainstorm ways to prevent child deaths.
It was a diverse group of concerned parents, city officials and community members there to protect what they call “their most precious resource.”
“I think the key is that we have to first admit that accidents are going to happen. But when it comes to kids we can’t just give up,” added Copeland.
According to the arrest warrant there was also a two-year-old who was also in unreasonable of harm.
There is no word on how the toddler is doing.
However, there are tips below that provide preventable measure for child safety.
Click on the links below:
SC Children’s Trust: http://scchildren.org/blog/2014/03/05/safe-sleep-summit-seeking-solutions-for-rising-infant-mortality-rates/
SC DHEC: http://publichealthblog.scdhec.gov/2014/11/05/the-abcs-of-safe-sleep/
SC DSS: https://dss.sc.gov/content/about/news/story.aspx?StoryID=287