A YORK baby asphyxiated after pulling a blanket over his face while asleep on a sofa, an inquest heard.

Now all parents are being given safety advice in a bid to prevent a repeat tragedy.

Six-month-old Sajaad Muntadar Abd Al-barri Al-Yassiri had been put down for a nap on his back on the sofa at his Heslington home when he was found unresponsive.

His mother removed the blanket and rang her husband, international chemistry PhD student Muntadar Al-Yassiri, in great distress, the York inquest heard.

He said he ran back to his home at McHugh Court in five or six minutes from the University of York and attempted to revive his son.

“His skin had turned blue,”said Mr Al-Yassiri, speaking at times with assistance from an interpreter. “I put my mouth to his and tried to help him. I tried to make him respond.”

He said he also rang 999 to call for an ambulance, which arrived within a few minutes and took the baby to York Hospital, where he was found to have died.

He said: “I was shocked. I couldn’t imagine anything like it. This is something that is impossible to happen.”

Detective Chief Inspector Dave Ellis said police had investigated the baby’s death and found no evidence of injury or foul play, and concluded there were no suspicious circumstances.

The inquest heard that after a post mortem examination at the hospital, it had been concluded that on the balance of probability, the baby had died of asphyxiation caused by the blanket over its face, with an upper respiratory tract infection a contributory factor.

Coroner Rob Turnbull concluded that the baby had died from asphyxiation when his face was covered by a blanket. He said the baby had been inclined to pull a blanket over his face, despite his parents’ efforts to stop him doing this.

The Lullaby Trust, which provides expert advice on safer sleep for babies, told The Press it recommended that the safest place for a baby to sleep was in a separate cot or Moses basket in the same room as their parents for the first six months. “Babies should always be put to sleep on their back and not on their front or side,” said a spokeswoman. “Blankets should be firmly tucked in, not higher than the shoulders and baby’s feet should be at the bottom of the cot so that they can’t wriggle down under the covers.” The trust’s Bereavement Support Helpline is on 0808 802 6868.