Bartholomew County Coroner Clayton Nolting says he is concerned that five infants died in the county last year. That is as many as the last two years combined.

There were three infant deaths in 2017. two in 2018, and last year had five.

Nolting said that number puts Bartholomew County among the highest infant mortality counties in the state.

Nolting said he and his deputies are committed to ending infant mortality, in part by educating parents of infants about safe sleeping procedures.

This week, Nolting released details of the death investigations that his office undertook in 2019. According to the report, his office investigated 143 deaths last year. The vast majority, 89, were deaths from natural causes and 35 were from accidents. There were 23 deaths by overdose, 16 suicides and five infants died last year in the county.

Nolting praised his staff and deputy coroners for their work in difficult circumstances.