Six month old Sarah* was growing more active by the day. Her mother, Anna delighted in each giggle and smile and wondered what baby Sarah would do next. Although Sarah had her own crib, she often slept with her parents in the hours after her last feeding. When Anna and David got up to begin their day, Sarah lay peacefully in the middle of their bed. Later when Anna went back into the bedroom to check on Sarah, she found her daughter wedged between the bed and the wall, the top of her head barely visible. Her body was warm but lifeless. She and David called for an ambulance and together started CPR to no avail.*Names and other identifying circumstances have been changed to protect the privacy of children and families.

Safe sleep environments for infants is one of the major findings reported by the Travis County Child Fatality Review Team this year. Dayna Blazey, assistant district attorney in Travis County and Child Fatality Review Team chair, said the 17 asphyxia-related deaths is the highest number ever since the team began tracking child deaths in 1996. Blazey said the team hopes to curtail future asphyxia deaths through community outreach and education. "These deaths are almost always preventable, and are the types of deaths the team hopes to reduce," Blazey said. According to the team's findings, 16 of the 17 accidental deaths due to suffocation were infants less than one year old. These were infants found face down in soft bedding or wedged between walls and beds and within soft couches.

Laura Reno, director of public affairs for First Candle, a national health nonprofit dedicated to advancing infant health and survival, said the number of asphyxia-related deaths is a growing trend across the nation, significantly because of parents sleeping with children in the same bed. "There are parents who think bed-sharing is the way to go," Reno said. "Babies need to be close to their parents, but they need their own separate space." First Candle has launched the Bedtime Basics campaign, which is designed to inform parents about how to keep infants safe at bedtime. According to First Candle, children are at a 40 percent higher risk of death while sleeping in an adult's bed. For more information, visit First Candle or call 800-221-7437.

The 5th Annual NFL Alumni Golf Classic sponsored by KB Home will be held June 25, 2007 at the Hills Country Club. Four-member teams captained by an NFL Alumnus compete for the ultimate prize-- representing the Austin NFL alumni at the 2008 Super Bowl of Golf Tournament. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Center for Child Protection.

Held the evening before, the Caring for Kids Banquet will kick off the festivities on Sunday evening, June 25th at 4:30 p.m. at the Texas Disposal Systems Exotic Game Ranch and Pavilion. NFL Alumnus Jerry Sisemore will be honored as the Man of the Year. And, attendees will meet their NFL heroes and enjoy shopping at silent and live auctions. Scheduled to attend are NFL alumni such as Mike McCarthy, Dan Neil, Brian Jones, Gale Gilbert, Bill Bradley, and Raul Allegre. To purchase a ticket or reserve your table, please contact Emily Jansen at 512/472-1164 x240 or ejansen@centerforchildprotection.org by Friday, June 15, 2007.

We thank the Dell Foundation, CAC of Texas and the Swalm Endowment, Doubletree Hotel, Meeting Planners International for their sponsorship of Project Graduation, Junior League volunteers for organizing all of the Project Graduation life kits, and TruGreen LandCare for beautifying the Center's grounds. In addition, we welcome new volunteers from Ginny's Printing and Friends of Christopher Guild members!