The ‘Stigma of SIDS’
My husband has been a police officer for 11 years and he has seen many traumatic situations. Some cases, such as the death of a child, require a full investigation.
No police officer ever wants to handle one of these calls. It doesn’t matter how tactfully the officer handles the call; the officer is always an outsider who the family wishes would just leave. Unfortunately, the investigation must be completed, and the officer must not allow emotion to guide him.
(The story) depicts the police as uncaring, “just the facts ma’am” robots. This is highly unfair.
Ask any police officer who has handled a sudden infant death investigation how they felt, and they will tell you it made them want to cry. Our family suffered the loss of our niece to SIDS, and, yes, the officers were sensitive and caring individuals.
BEVERLY H. SCHEU, Castaic
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