Infant’s death under investigation

DOUBLE SPRINGS  - Emergency first responders found themselves on an emotional call Mother’s Day, May 10, when an 8-month-old boy found on the floor gasping for air later died.
Double Springs Police, Double Springs Fire and medics from Regional Paramedical Services responded to a call at 134 County Road 55 on an unresponsive child, noted Police Chief Kim Miller. When officers and firefighters arrived, the infant did not have a pulse, police said.
Lt. Erik Gilbreath of the fire department noted they received the call at 12:20 p.m., that  a 6-month-old child had fallen out of bed and was having difficulty breathing. It was only after authorities responded they found out the child was 8-months-old, they said.
Assistant Fire Chief Brandon Lewis, who was reportedly the first on the scene, had checked for a pulse and breathing and after not finding any signs,  CPR was administered, Gilbreath stated.
Gilbreath responded with the pediatric medical kit and checked for the child’s heart rhythm, he said, adding the child did not have a pulse.
CPR was continued by firefighters until medics from RPS arrived on the scene, according to Gilbreath.
Upon medics’ arrival, the child was carried by firefighters to the ambulance, with firefighters riding with medics in the ambulance continuing to work with the child en route to Lakeland Community Hospital in Haleyville, Gilbreath said.
“We got a heart rate in route to the hospital,” said Gilbreath.
However, the child was later pronounced dead at the hospital, authorities said.
Upon initial arrival to the residence, authorities spoke with the child’s parents, who stated they had come from Michigan Saturday, May 9, to visit friends in the Double Springs area.
Family members advised law enforcement the child had been sick and went to sleep on a bed, Miller stated.
“They went in to check on the child and found him on the floor gasping for air,” Miller said.
The child’s body has been sent to the Alabama Department of Forensic Science for evaluation and to determine the official cause of death, Miller said.
The case is under active investigation by the Double Springs Police Department, 25th Circuit of the District Attorney’s Office and the Winston County Coroner’s Office.  The child’s name has not been released due to the ongoing investigation.

 

 


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