11-month-old baby died after a woman, who ran an unlicensed childcare in her home, put a pacifier with a 6-inch animal attached into his mouth and placed him facedown on a bed; woman sentenced
Oregon – In a deeply disturbing case in Oregon that highlights the life-threatening consequences of unsafe sleep practices, a woman, identified as T. Biswanath, was sentenced to prison after an 11-month-old baby died in her care. The woman, who was operating an unlicensed daycare out of her home, placed the child facedown on a bed with his arms tightly restrained in a baby sleeping bag that was far too small—and a pacifier with a six-inch stuffed animal attached in his mouth. The baby was found unresponsive less than an hour later.
At the time of the incident, Biswanath was watching five children, including the victim, in her unlicensed in-home daycare. According to the District Attorney’s Office, Biswanath, who had previously worked at a well-known childcare center, attempted to follow sleep policies she had learned at her former job, where she had received training that precluded the practice of infant swaddling—especially for mobile infants who could crawl or roll over. Despite that knowledge, she used a newborn-sized swaddle, which was far too small for the 11-month-old boy, and strapped his arms tightly by his sides.
Adding to the danger, Biswanath inserted a pacifier with a six-inch stuffed animal attached into the boy’s mouth and then placed him facedown on a bed in a second-floor bedroom. This position violated well-established safe sleep recommendations, which advise that infants be placed on their backs in an empty crib or bassinet without loose bedding or toys.
According to the prosecution, Biswanath initially attempted to get the baby to sleep in the same room as the other children. When that failed, she moved him upstairs, left him alone, and returned periodically while attending to the other children. The child was left alone for at least an hour. When Biswanath eventually checked on him again, she found him blue and unresponsive. While her husband called for emergency services, Biswanath attempted CPR, but it was too late. First responders were unable to revive the baby, who was pronounced dead shortly afterward.
An autopsy confirmed that the child’s death was consistent with an unsafe sleep environment, a leading cause of preventable infant fatalities nationwide. The case has drawn attention to the risks of unregulated childcare environments and the critical importance of safe sleep education. Senior Deputy District Attorney C. Lewman prosecuted the case and emphasized that Biswanath’s actions—despite her previous training—demonstrated a dangerous level of negligence and a disregard for infant safety protocols.
Biswanath was convicted of criminally negligent homicide for the August 2022 death of an 11-month-old boy. A jury found her guilty last month, and Judge E. Buchér sentenced her to two years in prison and three years of post-release supervision earlier this month. As part of the sentence, Biswanath is also permanently barred from operating any licensed childcare facility and was ordered to have no contact with the victim’s family.
In response to such tragedies, the county’s Child Abuse Multidisciplinary Team has partnered with the National Cribs for Kids Program to expand access to safe sleep education and provide free crib kits to eligible families. These kits include portable cribs and guidance on reducing sleep-related risks. The District Attorney’s Office released a statement extending its deepest condolences to the family of the victim, while also urging all caregivers to understand and follow safe sleep practices. The case stands as a somber reminder of what can happen when children are placed in unsafe and unlicensed care.
