Wednesday, February 13, 2008

* Baby Dies on Juneway

A 3-month-old boy apparently suffocated Wednesday morning after he was bundled too tightly in a blanket inside a Rogers Park apartment, Chicago police said. Source.

10 comments:

The North Coast said...

What a tragic accident. I feel very sorry for the caregiver, who sounds like she was doing her best as she saw it, as well as the poor child.

I see many poor mothers swaddle their babies very heavily, even in warm summer months, to the point of covering their faces with the coverlet. They seem very anxious and protective when they do this, because they are trying to protect their kids from the sun and other people's germs. But they don't realize that babies get hotter than we do.

My heart goes out to the mother and caregiver both.

Anonymous said...

"It appears the baby was accidentally wrapped in the blanket "too tight," said Rogers Park District Capt. Robert Whalen. Whoever wrapped the baby intended to protect him from the cold, Whalen said."

Very tragic. What's worse is that this incident sounds too familiar. Given Lt. Whalen's comment, someone has to ask the obvious: was this yet another North of Howard area apartment in Rogers Park without heat? I don't want any of us to jump to conclusions without knowing all the facts.

The North Coast said...

Yes, Michael, it sounds like this just COULD be the case, and the police should look into it.

Craig Gernhardt said...

Maybe they were using candle power?

mcl said...

I believe that this tragic incident occured in a NorthPoint building where residents supply their own electric radiant heat.
mcl

MadeInRogersPark said...

Imagine your living quarters are so cold that you over bundle you infant or yourself....with wind chil factors adding to the challenging weather we already are pressed to endure why should any apartment or house be so uncomfortable that this tragedyh occurs.
I agree with AMIchale in not jumping to conclusions but this should be investigated

The North Coast said...

NHNA, if these people were using radiant electric heat and the cost was not included in the rent, then I feel doubly sorry for them.

There is no way a poor person can carry the cost of heating an apt with electric baseboards. It is the most crazy-expensive way to heat in the world. I had a 5-room apt with about 1100 sq ft heated that way once, and got a bill for November 1986 for $250. It hadn't been below 20 degrees the whole month and hardly that cold. It was even worse than the crappy electric furnace in another apt I had.

These people were, I suppose (not knowing any more than I do about the true facts of their situation) that they were cutting back the heat because they just couldn't pay for it.

I feel very bad for them.

The North Coast said...

Oh, YEAH, how could I forget to ask?

What is ACORN doing to help people like the mother and caregiver of this baby get adequate heat, or assistance in paying for it?

NHNA, Toni, all others in the NOH neighborhood, if you have heard of anything this organization is doing to advocate for lower utility rates, or for heating assistance for the destitute, or for decent low-income housing, please fill me in.

Anybody who has heard of anything ACORN has done recently to actually help the poor of Chicago, please inform me. I'd really like to know if this organization does anything except attack local bloggers, and lobby for assistance for middle-class homedebtors behind in their payments on half-million dollar houses.

dave said...

if you have heard of anything this organization is doing to advocate for lower utility rates, or for heating assistance for the destitute, or for decent low-income housing, please fill me in.

Sure.

Read here.

And here.

Natas said...

Too bad you didn't die cocksucker

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