Cuyahoga County child fatalities rise to record levels
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From the executive summary of Cuyahoga County's Child Fatality Report. Screenshot: Cuyahoga County
Nearly 200 children died in Cuyahoga County in 2023, with alarming increases in homicides and infant deaths, according to a new report from the Cuyahoga County Child Fatality Review Board.
The big picture: A child's death is devastating on its own terms, but the wellbeing of young people tends to reflect broader socioeconomic and public health trends.
Zoom in: Of the 190 total child fatalities, 112 were infant deaths, 34 were homicides and 28 were the result of unintentional injuries.
By the numbers: Homicides reached an all-time high — a 48% increase from 23 in 2022 and nearly twice the 10-year average.
- The Cuyahoga County child homicide rate in 2023 (13.6 per 100,000) was three times higher than Ohio's (4.5) and four times higher than the United States overall (3.2).
What they're saying: In a news conference Tuesday, officials relayed the report's grim findings and attributed some of the shocking increases, especially in infant mortality, to the expiration of pandemic aid.
- "In 2023, the child tax credit went away," said Angela Newman-White, executive director of First Year Cleveland, an organization founded in 2015 in response to the region's infant mortality crisis.
- "The SNAP benefits were reduced. Tenant protections essentially went away. But the cost of everything went up."
Between the lines: Without livable wages, paid leave and affordable housing, she argued, families often struggle to raise their children safely.
What's next: County Executive Chris Ronayne said the report is a "clarion call," and that the county and its partners are working with urgency to enact solutions.
- University Hospitals plans to implement TeamBirth, a program to reduce adverse birth outcomes, at all five of its birthing centers in 2025.
What we're watching: County health reports are produced on a significant delay, but medical examiner Thomas Gilson told Axios that homicide numbers in 2024 are down overall, which should mean fewer child homicides as well.
The last word: "These are not just numbers, they're names," Ronayne said.
- "You can read the report and it feels like math. But these are not 190 statistics. They're 190 kids, 190 families."
Go deeper: Read the Child Fatality Report