Mom pushes for heart monitors at daycares after losing infant son
By Rachel McCrary, Stephen Borowy
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Tyrone Township, MI (WNEM) — A local mother is trying to spare others the lingering pain she feels over the death of her infant son. She says all it will take is a small change in state law.
Michelle Schupbach, from Tyrone Township, is urging lawmakers to require heart monitors at daycares.
“It kills me to know my child died alone in a room by himself,” Schupbach said.
A mother’s worst nightmare became a reality for Schupbach seven years ago when she got a call from her son Nash’s care provider that he wasn’t breathing and was cold to the touch. It’s something she is trying to prevent from happening to any other child.
“You don’t ever think you’re gonna drop your child off and then not get to pick them up,” Schupbach said.
But that’s exactly what happened to Schupbach. Nash Schupbach was just five months old when he died during a nap at daycare.
One of the responding officers that day was state Rep. Mike Muller, who at the time served as a Livingston County Sheriff’s Office deputy. Schupbach said that day stuck with him and they have teamed up to make daycares safer.
“We decided that a monitor, especially nowadays, with the technology why wouldn’t we have a heart monitor? Every mom has one for their baby. Now, why wouldn’t we have them at daycare,” Schupbach said.
The duo testified this week before a committee about House Bill 4543. Schupbach says it would make sure all licensed childcare facilities in Michigan have and use Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) prevention monitors for each infant nine months or younger. The legislation is under consideration in the committee. Schupbach said it is an extra expense, but says, “you really just can’t put a price on a life you know.”
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