A mum has opened up about her seven-month-old’s tragic death in a bid to warn other parents about the dangers of blankets in cots.
Jordan DeRosier, from the US, explained that at first she hadn’t gone into detail with others about the circumstances of how her son died because of her guilt.
But after messages from people blaming vaccines for her son’s death, she decided to explain what happened to Sloan to inform other parents.
“It’s important to me that Sloan’s story is told,” DeRosier told HuffPost UK.
“He was a light in the life of all who knew him, just an absolute dream baby. It helps us to know that he is living on in the hearts of people around the world.”
She wrote on Facebook on Tuesday 4 July. ″[My son] was last laid down to bed with this blanket made by his great-great grandmother, and one other blanket, a grey one he had been attached to since birth.”
The mum continued: ”[My son] had pulled the grey blanket through the crib rails somehow and gotten himself stuck in it.
“You never think it will happen to you. You never think it will be your baby. Please do not put your babies to bed with a blanket. Please.
“He was seven months old. I thought because he was crawling, standing on his own, and climbing, that he would be fine with a blanket.
“This is the face of immense, unfathomable grief, the face of longing, of heartbreak, of self-inflicted guilt.
“I will never stop feeling responsible. I will re-live this for the rest of my life knowing exactly what I could have done differently. Please learn from my world-shattering mistake.”
DeRosier explained the photo on the Facebook post shows her with her other son.
“We have received hundreds of thousands of comments and messages letting us know that his story has already saved the lives of so many other babies,” she told HuffPost UK.
“His life was far too short, but his purpose is now so clear. I will never stop longing for my baby, a parent should never have to outlive their child.
“Our pain is immense and our hearts are shattered, but we find some comfort in knowing what a difference he’s still making in this world.”
DeRosier’s post has had nearly 15,000 shares in three days and had comments from people around the world sending the mother messages of support.
Penning a tribute to her son shortly after his death on 3 July, DeRosier wrote: “Our sweet rainbow warrior, your short time on this earth blessed so many. You were a gift to all who knew you, and an inspiration to all who didn’t.
“Your death has impacted this world, it has left an emptiness felt by so many. Proof that you held with you so much light and grace. You were not able to live out our dreams for you, yet our dreams are where we will find you forever.
“We will forever be caught in this space between worlds, the space you now exist for us. Our longing for you is eternal, if only your life had been.”