The Gaston County Police Department has joined forces with the Alliance for Children & Youth to promote safe sleep for infants in our community. The idea to provide Gaston County residents in need cribs for free came from the Gaston County’s Community Child Protection and Child Fatality Prevention teams. The teams had identified a disturbing rise in infant sleep related deaths during the past few years. Gaston County experienced 7 deaths involving children this way in both 2019 and 2020. In 2021, an extensive review of all local infant deaths found that number rose to 13. The teams collaborated with multiple community partners to brainstorm solutions.
The Cribs were purchased by the Alliance for Children & Youth and are being distributed at the Gaston County Police Department. The Police Department is located at 420 West Franklin Boulevard in Gastonia. Recipients will be required to complete a registration form when they pick up their new crib.
Pictured are the cribs to be given to community members in need along with representatives from the Gaston County Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Unit and the Executive Director of the Alliance for Children & Youth Arin Farmer.