CHESAPEAKE, Va. — Virginia child-safety experts are urging parents and caregivers to follow safe-sleep practices for infants as state officials report dozens of sleep-related deaths this year.
Dr. Tricia Smith with the Virginia Department of Health's Division of Death Prevention said sleep-related infant fatalities occur with alarming regularity across the Commonwealth.
“One every two to three days. It happens with alarming regularity here in Virginia that we see these fatalities.”
According to Smith, Virginia recorded 75 sleep-related infant fatalities in 2025. Of those, 61 involved infants sleeping in an adult bed with adults or children. Smith said that as of July 1, 2026, the state had recorded 62 sleep-related infant fatalities. 45, involved bed-sharing or an infant sleeping in a bed with an adult or child. The remaining 17 involved unsafe sleep environments that included items such as blankets, pillows, stuffed toys and crib bumpers.
The Virginia Department of Health says unsafe sleep is the leading cause of non-natural infant death in Virginia.
Safe Sleep Virginia advises caregivers to place babies on their backs for every sleep, on a firm, flat surface designed for infants, and to keep pillows, blankets, toys and other soft objects out of the sleep area.
Sleep Tight Hampton Roads, a CHIP program in Chesapeake, works to educate and support families on safe infant sleep.
Justein Pena with Sleep Tight Hampton Roads said the goal is to make sure everyone caring for a baby understands what to do.
“We want to make sure that mom, grandma, grandpa, older brothers and sisters, dad, everybody in the home knows what they need to do to keep that baby safe.”
For Pena, the work is personal. Pena said returning to the program as someone now helping other families has brought the experience full circle. “I know what it meant to me when I needed it and now that I can help someone else, it’s extremely fulfilling.”
Sleep Tight Hampton Roads encourages families to reach out even if they only need education about safe sleep rather than equipment.
“If they just want to come in and get the information. Maybe you don’t need the pack and play. Maybe you just need the information, we’re here for that,” shared Pena.
Families and caregivers can also find safe-sleep guidance through the Virginia Department of Health's Safe Sleep Virginia resources.
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