LYNCHBURG, Va. – When it comes to sleeping babies, local child care experts want parents to wake up. “The Virginia State Child Fatality Review Team determined 87% of non-natural infant deaths between 2014-2016 were sleep-related in nature,” said Shannon Miles of Centra. Lynchburg Police Chief Ryan Zuidema and Fire Chief Greg Wormser also had some advice for parents with young children. The 2018 data showed that 85% of sleep-related deaths in the state of Virginia were tied to infants who were sleeping on a couch, a bed or some other inappropriate sleep surface,” Chief Wormser added. Other things to keep in mind: using a firm sleep surface with a firm crib mattress covered by a fitted sheet and checking regularly for product recalls.