45 children who died
At least 45 children died in child care in Missouri from 2007 through 2010 for reasons other than illness. All but four of those deaths occurred in unlicensed settings. And the vast majority — 35 deaths — were tied to sleep-related issues.
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Ethan Strand-Fox
2 months
Jan. 30, 2007
Ethan died of probable suffocation in a St. Louis home day care after being propped on his side for a nap. He was found facedown.
- More about Ethan: Story
Jace Gross
4 months
Sept. 24, 2008
Jace died of SIDS at an Owensville home day care after being put down on his back in a crib. The caregiver later discovered him awake but rolled onto his abdomen. She left him in that position and covered him with a blanket.
Marshall Keller
3 months
July 1, 2010
Marshall died of SIDS in a home day care near Webb City, Mo., after the caregiver said she laid him on his back in a portable crib. He was found on his side with his face between the edge of the mattress and the side of the crib and a sheet bunched by his nose.
Bryan Mendoza
4 months
Sept. 1, 2010
Bryan died of undetermined causes after being found facedown in a portable crib in a Grandview, Mo., home day care.
Nicholas Turley
5 months
Jan. 24, 2007
Nicholas died of accidental suffocation in an O'Fallon, Mo., home day care after being swaddled with a blanket and propped on his side against the side of a crib. He was found facedown. The day care had more children than allowed without a license.
Kalen Mallett
2 months
Feb. 15, 2007
Kalen died of SIDS at a St. Louis home day care after being propped on his side and found in the same position covered with an afghan.
- More about Kalen: Story
Bridget Reding
2 months
March 27, 2007
Bridget died in a Taney County child care setting in an unsafe sleep environment.
Alexander Escalante
11 months
May 25, 2007
Alexander died in a home day care in Florissant after allegedly being shaken. Charges against the caregiver were dismissed.
Zachariah Tallman
2 months
Aug. 13, 2007
Zachariah died of SIDS after being propped up in a crib with a blanket in a Joplin, Mo., home day care.
Cooper Phillips
4 months
Aug. 20, 2007
Cooper died of accidental suffocation in a Jefferson City home day care after being propped on his side with a blanket in a bed and surrounded by body-length pillows to prevent him from rolling off. He was found facedown. The day care had more children than allowed without a license.
Jacob Mattingly
4 months
Nov. 28, 2007
Jacob died in a Kansas City home day care. The caregiver was convicted of second-degree murder for shaking and striking the baby when he was fussy and crying.
Name not released
Age not released
2007
An analysis of child fatality review information suggests this child died in child care of causes related to a fire.
Name not released
Age not released
2007
Analysis suggests this child died of sleep-related causes.
Name not released
Age not released
2007
Analysis suggests cause of death was suffocation from aspiration of stomach contents.
Name not released
Age not released
2007
Analysis suggests cause of death was sleep-related.
Name not released
Age not released
2007
Analysis suggests cause of death was undetermined, but was sleep-related.
Name not released
Age not released
2007
Analysis suggests cause of death was undetermined, but was sleep-related.
Henry Brenner
3 months
May 1, 2008
Henry died of suffocation in a St. Ann home day care. He was initially placed on his side and propped with a pillow in an adult bed. He was found with his face in the bedding.
Damian Stewart
6 months
Sept. 19, 2008
Damian died of child abuse in Jackson County, Mo. His home day care provider was convicted of second-degree murder and other felony charges.
Kalieaynna Stiff
3 months
Sept. 22, 2008
Kalieaynna died of accidental suffocation in a home day care in Florissant after being propped on her side on a couch. She was found facedown. Police said the provider was caring for 12 children under age 2.
Name not released
Age not released
2008
Analysis suggests cause of death of a 1-year-old was suffocation due to unsafe sleep practices.
Name not released
Age not released
2008
Analysis suggests cause of death was SIDS.
Name not released
Age not released
2008
Analysis suggests cause of death was SIDS.
Grayson Mings
4 months
Jan. 2, 2009
Grayson died in an unsafe sleeping environment at an unidentified Taney County child care setting. Cause of death was sleep-related.
Kenny Huynh
3 months
Feb. 6, 2009
Kenny died after injuries from suspected abuse in a St. Louis home child care setting. His caregiver faces charges of second-degree murder and abuse of a child causing death.
Owen Curtis
3 months
March 10, 2009
Owen died in a sleep-related death after being placed on his abdomen in a crib in a Cameron, Mo., home day care.
- More about Owen: Story
Ava Brown
2 months
April 15, 2009
Ava died after being placed on her abdomen in a bassinet in a Jefferson City home day care. Cause of death was SIDS.
- More about Ava: Story
Kendall Harness
4 months
May 14, 2009
Kendall died of probable suffocation in a south St. Louis County home day care after being put down for a nap. She was found with her head between the side of the portable crib and the mattress. Death was found to be sleep-related.
Aidan Price
10 months
May 22, 2009
Aidan died of probable suffocation after being placed on an adult bed with several blankets and pillows at a Columbia area home day care. Death was found to be sleep-related.
Nathan Clifton
3 months
June 2, 2009
Nathan died in a Florissant home day care. Police reports show he was placed on his back on a futon with a pillow at the edge to prevent him from falling. He was found with his face in the pillow. Death was found to be SIDS.
Lucas Theede-Bennett
9 months
Jan. 6, 2009
Lucas died of child abuse at his babysitter's home in Willard, Mo. The provider was convicted of abuse of a child resulting in death.
Name not released
Age not released
2009
Analysis suggests cause of death was abuse.
Name not released
Age not released
2009
Analysis suggests cause of death was suffocation.
Name not released
Age not released
2009
Analysis suggests cause of death was SIDS.
Name not released
Age not released
2009
Analysis suggests cause of death was SIDS.
Name not released
Age not released
2009
Analysis suggests cause of death was sleep-related.
Keaton McLean
2 years
Jan. 24, 2010
Keaton died of accidental suffocation in a Gentry County, Mo., child care setting. The report cites the dangers of dominoes to small children.
Kaden Danuser
2 months
June 8, 2010
Kaden died of positional asphyxiation while napping in a car seat in a Lee's Summit home day care. The day care had more children than allowed without a license.
- More about Kaden: Story
Bradyn Fuerst-Schanuth
3 months
Oct. 21, 2010
Bradyn died of SIDS in a baby swing in a Jefferson City area home day care. The day care had more children than allowed without a license.
Autumn McConnell
5 months
Nov. 18, 2010
Autumn died of positional asphyxiation. She was found in a car seat with a blanket over her head in an Independence home day care.
- More about Autumn: Story
Joseph Doss
2 months
Nov. 29, 2010
Joseph died of undetermined causes after being placed on his back for a nap on an oversized couch at a Lee's Summit, Mo., home day care.
- More about Joseph: Story
Name not released
Age not released
2010
Analysis suggests cause of death was SIDS. No sleep hazards were found.
Graphic by: Josh Renaud, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Sources: Missouri Child Fatality Review Program, child care licensing investigations, police and coroners’ reports, news articles and interviews.