Vic: Mother contributed to baby s suffocation coroner

AAP General News (Australia)
02-15-1999
Vic: Mother contributed to baby s suffocation coroner

A mother has rejected a coroner's finding today that she contributed to her baby daughter's
suffocation death by leaving her to sleep alone in her pram.

Seven-month-old ABIGAIL JANE SWANSSON died when the BabyCo pramette she was in tipped
backwards onto the floor, suffocating the baby on October 27, 1997.

Initial investigations discovered the BabyCo Burwood model stroller was found tipped
backwards with the backrest lowered and no safety harness in use.

BabyCo says the pram was not designed to have the back panel laid flat and the model
conformed to the Australian Standard.

ABIGAIL's mother STEPHANIE told the court she had done nothing unusual in leaving her child
to sleep in the pram.

But Deputy State Coroner IAIN WEST said there was an instruction booklet outlining that a
child should not be left alone in the pram and the fitted safety harness should be used at all
times.

He says both Mrs SWANSSON and ABIGAIL contributed to the cause of death.

ABIGAIL'S father MALCOLM SWANSSON says the family doubts the pram's safety despite the
manufacturer being cleared of blame.

AAP RTV cmc/ra/jv/jn

KEYWORD: SWANSSON (MELBOURNE)

1999 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.