Sleep Tight Baby

JACKSONVILLE, FL — It was eight years ago but Judy Lanham remembers every detail of her son Dusten’s death.

“He was in the hospital for four days before we were able to take him off life support, and you just don′t want any other parent to have to go through this,” says Lanham.

Dusten was 3-months-old when he died sleeping in a crib.

Lisa Sculley’s son was just two and a half months when he died on his stomach on an adult sized bed.

“Would my son still be alive if he would have been off his back on a regular bed? I can′t prove that but he would have had a better chance,” says Sculley.

It’s not clear exactly what caused either of their sons’ deaths, but both died while sleeping.

It’s a tragedy that links these two women together, but they are not alone.

Since 2000 in Jacksonville, 157 babies died because of unsafe sleeping conditions.

“When it happened to us, I really thought I was going to die, I wanted to die, but you have a choice, to help others go on, or not. For me my choice was to help others,” says Lanham.

And so now they are both actively involved in support groups and demonstrating the right way for a baby to sleep.

The baby should sleep alone, never with parents, in a crib, and on its back.

So even after years have passed and both women have other children they say they will always remember their sons by being there for other parents.

“And to help parents through the most difficult time of their life and if I can help them through that period my son didn′t die in vain,” says Lanham.