New data shows increase in infant deaths, abuse and neglect deaths and homicides

CUYAHOGA COUNTY, OH – Newly released data for 2023 shows a concerning increase in deaths of children ages 0-18. The data from the Cuyahoga County Child Fatality Review Board highlights trends in child deaths and raises awareness of preventable child fatalities.

Most notably, child deaths increased by 25% from data collected in 2022. There were increases in infant deaths, abuse and neglect deaths, and homicides. The Child Mortality Rate in Cuyahoga County of 75.9 is 25% higher than the State of Ohio and 41% higher than the United States.

Key Data Points:

• 190 Total Child Deaths
• 112 Infant Deaths
• 34 Homicides
• 28 Unintentional Deaths
• 18 Abuse and Neglect cases resulting in death

“Every number in this report represents a young life cut short, a family devastated, and a community impacted. The safety and well-being of our children must be our highest priority,” said Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne. “We must come together to ensure that families have the tools, resources, and support they need to create safe, nurturing environments where children can grow and reach their full potential.”

“It is our solemn obligation to let the data inform how we can do even more to ensure every child in Cuyahoga County has the chance to grow and thrive – that, whenever possible, they have a childhood free from disease, injury, despair or violence at the hands of another,” said Shawna Rohrman, Director of Invest in Children.

Leaders from across the County gathered at the University Hospitals Rainbow Ahuja Center for Women and Children in Cleveland to bring attention to this concerning data, highlight efforts underway to prevent future deaths, and ask for the community’s help to address underlying issues leading to child deaths.

“A healthy pregnancy is foundational not just for the mother and the baby, but for the entire community. We know achieving healthy pregnancies goes beyond clinical care; it requires us to address the broader social determinants of health that significantly impact families. But we believe that by investing in the health and well-being of pregnant women we are investing in the future of our society," said Celina Cunanan, BSN, University Hospitals Chief Diversity, Equity and Belonging Officer.

Even before today’s data, various partners have been working to improve the trend and prevent child deaths. One example is First Year Cleveland which launched its Babies Need to Breathe campaign, aimed at encouraging safe sleep habits and preventing infant deaths.

“First Year Cleveland recognizes the impact of the larger social context on birth and health outcomes for women and families. We are committed to addressing both the upstream and downstream needs related to infant and maternal health through policy, advocacy, and program implementation that is driven in partnership with the community. Babies need to Breathe is one example of the power of leveraging data and community input to increase awareness of risk behaviors and address systems’ barriers to create optimal conditions for families to thrive,” said Angela Newman-White MA, Executive Director of First Year Cleveland.

“The ongoing health disparity between black and white babies is rooted in 400 years of inequity and racism. Increased violence, lower birth rates, and poor health outcomes are oftentimes some of the consequences when the playing field isn’t level for everyone. My hope is that we can use this report to direct future efforts and address these issues as a community of caring and educated advocates,” said Roderick Harris DrPH, Commissioner of the Cuyahoga County Board of Health.

Cuyahoga County’s Child Fatality Review Board brings together professionals from various fields, including healthcare, law enforcement, social services, and public health, to review the causes and circumstances surrounding a child’s death. By learning the story of the child’s life, and circumstances of their death, the Child Fatality Review Board aims to uncover any challenges faced by the child, any systems they interacted with, and the risk factors that may have contributed to their death. Central to this is the attempt to spot where interventions and risk reduction could have combined to prevent the death.

Cuyahoga County will continue to work with community partners and various child-serving agencies to take a closer look at the data and find ways to make an impact on the underlying causes of preventable deaths.

View the full data dashboard on the Cuyahoga County Board of Health website.

Read an Executive Summary of the data and find previous years reports on the Invest in Children website.

Free child safety information and resources for parents is available from the Cuyahoga County Department of Health and Human Services.

Photo gallery from the press event, courtesy of Cuyahoga County Communications.