Oregon – In a deeply disturbing case in Oregon that highlights the life-threatening consequences of unsafe sleep practices, a woman named T. Biswanath was sentenced to prison after an 11-month-old baby died under her care.
The woman, who ran an unlicensed daycare out of her home, placed the child facedown on a bed, his arms tightly restrained in a far too small baby sleeping bag, and a pacifier with a six-inch stuffed animal in his mouth. The baby was discovered unresponsive less than an hour later.
Biswanath was watching five children, including the victim, in her unlicensed in-home daycare when the incident occurred.
According to the District Attorney’s Office, Biswanath, who previously worked at a well-known childcare center, attempted to adhere to sleep policies she had learned at her previous job, where she had received training that prohibited the practice of infant swaddling, particularly for mobile infants who could crawl or roll over.
Despite this knowledge, she wrapped the 11-month-old boy in a newborn-sized swaddle that was far too small for him, and strapped his arms tightly at his sides.
Biswanath added to the danger by inserting a pacifier with a six-inch stuffed animal attached into the boy’s mouth and placing him facedown on a bed in a second-floor bedroom.
This position violated well-established safe sleep guidelines, which state that infants should be placed on their backs in an empty crib or bassinet with no loose bedding or toys.
According to the prosecution, Biswanath first tried to get the baby to sleep in the same room as the other children. When that failed, she moved him upstairs, left him alone, and returned occasionally while caring for the other children. The child was alone for at least an hour.
When Biswanath checked on him again, he was blue and unresponsive. While her husband called for help, Biswanath attempted CPR, but it was too late. First responders were unable to revive the baby, who was declared dead shortly after.
An autopsy confirmed that the child died as a result of an unsafe sleeping environment, which is a leading cause of preventable infant deaths across the country. The case has highlighted the dangers of unregulated childcare settings and the critical importance of safe sleep education.
Senior Deputy District Attorney C. Lewman prosecuted the case, stating that Biswanath’s actions, despite her prior training, demonstrated a dangerous level of negligence and disregard for infant safety protocols.
Biswanath was found guilty of criminally negligent homicide in the August 2022 death of an 11-month-old boy. A jury convicted her last month, and Judge E. Buchér sentenced her to two years in prison and three years of post-release supervision earlier this month. Biswanath is also barred from operating any licensed childcare facility for the rest of his life, and he is not permitted to contact the victim’s family.
In response to such tragedies, the county’s Child Abuse Multidisciplinary Team collaborated with the National Cribs for Kids Program to increase access to safe sleep education and provide free crib kits to qualifying families. These kits include portable cribs and information on how to reduce sleep-related risks.
The District Attorney’s Office issued a statement expressing its deepest condolences to the victim’s family and urging all caregivers to understand and adhere to safe sleep practices. The case serves as a somber reminder of what can happen when children are placed in unsafe and unlicensed facilities.
