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Local team urges expansion of safe-sleep, firearm and car-seat programs after review of child deaths
Summary
The Columbus County Child Fatality Prevention Team reviewed nine 2024 deaths and recommended expanded firearm-safety education, distribution of gun locks, enhanced safe-sleep outreach and car-seat inspection programs; the report cites Session Law 2023-134 changes to state requirements.
Toni Stocks, nursing director at Columbus County Health Services and chair of the county's Local Child Fatality Prevention Team, presented the team's annual report to the board on June 1.
Stocks said the single-county multidisciplinary team reviewed nine child deaths from 2024 (with two additional deaths to be reviewed at the next meeting) and identified systemic prevention priorities: broaden community firearm-safety education and distribution of gun locks, strengthen and unify countywide safe-sleep messaging and expand access to Pack 'n Plays and bassinets, and expand child passenger safety education and inspection events. She noted that Session Law 2023-134 established a State Office of Child Fatality Prevention and mandated case reporting into a national fatality-review system that became effective Jan. 1, 2026.
Stocks detailed items the team has purchased with prevention funds (car seats, Pack 'n Plays, gun-lock boxes) and said the county is initiating a firearm-safety team with broad community collaboration. She urged continued board support and dedicated staff time to coordinate prevention and outreach.
