CUYAHOGA COUNTY, Ohio — Cuyahoga County released its 2023 data on the deaths of children, ranging from ages 0 to 18 and noticed a "concerning increase" according to the Cuyahoga County Child Fatality Review Board.

The data was shared at University Hospitals Rainbow Ahuja Center for Women and Children in Cleveland, where the board also highlights efforts to prevent future deaths and seek community involvement to address underlying issues leading to child deaths.

What You Need To Know

  • The Cuyahoga County Child Fatality Review Board is comprised of professionals ranging from public health, health care, law enforcement and social services 

  • In 2023, there were 190 child deaths, an increase from 2022's 152 deaths

  • There were 112 infant deaths

  • Black non-Hispanic children accounted for 63% of the deaths, white non-Hispanic children accounted for 27% of the deaths and Hispanic children accounted for 10%

The board is comprised of professionals from various fields including law enforcement, health care, social services and public health. Together the board reviews causes and cirumstances surrounding a child's death in order to uncover challenges faced by the child, systems they interacted with and the risk factors contributing to their death. The board aims to spot where interventions and risk reduction could have combined to prevent it.

The 2023 data showed an increase of 25% in the deaths from the 2022 data. The board noted increases in infant deaths, abuse and neglect deaths and in homicides. The county's child mortality rate of 75.9 is 25% higher than the state's and 41% higher than the country's.

In 2022 there were 152 child deaths.

“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 in a news release. “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.”

In total, the county saw 190 child deaths in 2023. Of these, 112 were infant deaths, 34 homicides, 28 unintentional deaths and 18 abuse and neglect cases resulting in death. 

According to the data, of the 190 deaths, children under 1-year-old accounted for 58.9%. Children between 1 and 4 years-old accounted for 14.2%, ages 5-10 accounted for 7.9% and ages 10-14 also accounted for 7.9%. Children between 15 and 17 years old accounted for 11.1% of the deaths.

There were 112 infant deaths, 212 sleep-related deaths, 28 unintentional deaths, 34 homicides and 105 suicides in the county. 

“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 in the release.

Of the 190 deaths, Black non-Hispanic children accounted for 63% of the deaths, white non-Hispanic children accounted for 27% of the deaths and Hispanic children accounted for 10%.

“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 in a news release.

The board's data delves further by comparing the county to 10 "peer counties" selected by Cuyahoga County Planning Commission. The counties are selected by the Core Cities, their size and their proximity to Cuyahoga County. 

Cuyahoga County ranked third among the peer counties following Marion County, Indiana and Milwaukee County, Wisconsin. Marion County's child death rate was 87.85 and Milwaukee County's rate was 79.74.

“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 in the release.

The board pointed out steps have been taken by various partners to improve the trend such as First Year Cleveland's Babies Need to Breathe campaign, which focuses on 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 in the news release.

To view the full set of data, click here.