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Coroner's Finding: ALSFORD Brayden John

Deceased

Brayden John Alsford

Demographics

1y, male

Date of death

1999-11-06

Finding date

2000-10-20

Cause of death

neck compression due to hanging from curtain cord

AI-generated summary

A 15-month-old boy died from neck compression caused by entanglement in a curtain cord while sleeping in his cot. The cord, used to close nearby curtains, became wrapped around his neck despite the mother's belief it had fallen behind the curtain. Death occurred within minutes and was not preventable given the rapidity of asphyxiation in infants. However, the case highlights a well-recognised hazard to toddlers. The coroner emphasised that parents should keep all cords and ropes away from sleeping infants, either by looping cords over curtain rods, using retractable cord devices, or positioning cots away from curtain cords. Educational resources from Kidsafe were recommended to prevent similar tragedies.

AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes. Report an inaccuracy.

Specialties

forensic medicinepaediatrics

Clinical conditions

asphyxiasudden unexpected infant death

Contributing factors

curtain cord accessible to sleeping infant
cord long enough to wrap around child's neck
infant lack of manual dexterity to remove cord
infant lack of strength to remove cord
rapid loss of consciousness in infants with neck pressure

Coroner's recommendations

Public warning to parents of young children about risks of allowing access to ropes or cords long enough to wrap around a child's neck
Parents should ensure curtain cords are kept out of reach of small children
Curtain cords should be looped up over the curtain rod or stored using a retractable cord device
Cots should not be positioned near curtain cords
Parents should consult Kidsafe brochure from Safe Sleeping Campaign for advice on avoiding such risks
All long cords, ropes, mobiles with string, and dummies with long strings should be kept away from infants and toddlers

Full text

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Source and disclaimer

This page reproduces or summarises information from publicly available findings published by Australian coroners' courts. Coronial is an independent educational resource and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of any coronial court or government body.

Content may be incomplete, reformatted, or summarised. Some material may have been redacted or restricted by court order or privacy requirements. Always refer to the original court publication for the authoritative record.

Copyright in original materials remains with the relevant government jurisdiction. AI-generated summaries and tagging are for educational purposes only, may contain inaccuracies, and must not be treated as legal documents. We welcome feedback for correction — report an inaccuracy here.