Miami

Police Investigating Death of Infant Girl Inside Southwest Miami-Dade Home

A family is in mourning after their infant died Sunday in their Southwest Miami-Dade home – now, police are investigating how the two-month-old little girl lost her life.

The baby’s father, Alvaro Cappas, told NBC 6 that he and his fiance were taking a nap with their newborn, named Ayla, around 2pm at their home off SW 129th Avenue and 268th Street. Cappas said when the baby’s mother woke up, she noticed something was wrong with the child.

"When I go to move her, her face was like blueish pale so I gave her CPR," Cappas said.

Cappas says their cellphone batteries were dead, so he ran outside holding the lifeless baby and stopped a police officer driving by. After multiple CPR attempts, Ayla was pronounced dead on scene.

Police questioned both parents, but Cappas says this was a tragic accident.

“(Her mother) thinks that she turned over closer to mom and mom was sleeping and didn’t feel it. You feel the warmness of your child and you're all comfy,” he said.

The family says this has been so devastating they're even considering moving out because it's so hard to see all of the baby items in the home – and have a message for parents of newborns.

"Don't co-sleep with your baby. Leave your baby in the crib,” Cappas said. “No pillows, no nothing."

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, nearly 3,500 infants die each year from sleep-related incidents including Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. The group says you can help prevent tragedies by doing the following:

  • Always place your baby on his or her back for every sleep time.
  • Always use a firm sleep surface. Car seats and other sitting devices are not recommended for routine sleep.
  • The baby should sleep in the same room as the parents, but not in the same bed (room-sharing without bed-sharing).
  • Keep soft objects or loose bedding out of the crib. This includes pillows, blankets, and bumper pads.
  • Wedges and positioners should not be used.
  • Pregnant woman should receive regular prenatal care.
  • Don’t smoke during pregnancy or after birth.
  • Breastfeeding is recommended.
  • Offer a pacifier at nap time and bedtime.
  • Avoid covering the infant’s head or overheating.
  • Do not use home monitors or commercial devices marketed to reduce the risk of SIDS.
  • Infants should receive all recommended vaccinations.
  • Supervised, awake tummy time is recommended daily to facilitate development and minimize the occurrence of positional plagiocephaly (flat heads).
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