Woman Honored for Infant Death Education

Margot Martin of Ventura received the 1996 Daniel E. Boatwright Award, an honor given annually by the Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Council. Established in 1991, the award acknowledges exemplary public service in SIDS education and parent support advocacy.

Martin began parent support meetings as a counselor in 1978, later joining the Southern California Regional SID Council in 1979. She is credited with waging a one-woman crusade to educate nurses, emergency response personnel, police departments and others about the unique circumstances of sudden infant death syndrome. Martin, a retired Ventura County deputy coroner, travels across the nation promoting SIDS education.

The award is named for Sen. Daniel Boatwright (D-Concord), who during the late 1980s spearheaded legislative efforts to increase SIDS family services funding, education and research.