Saudi baby dies after sleeping face down

A three-month-old Saudi baby has suffocated to death after he was left by his mother sleeping on his face, a local newspaper reported on Sunday.

The baby was rushed to a hospital in the Eastern tow of Safwa with a pale face but was declared dead on arrival, 'Alyoum' daily said.

Doctors told his family that the baby died of suffocation because lying on his face prevented him from breathing.

Such incidents are the cause of nearly 60 per cent of deaths among babies under four months, the paper said.