A sad story. I wish I could say it’s the first time I’ve heard of parents using the discipline method described in this story. From the WRAL web site.
Smithfield, N.C. — A Johnston County
woman accused of killing her 4-year-old adopted son took the stand
Monday at her trial, weeping when describing her own abused childhood
and when talking about the dead boy.Lynn Paddock, 47, is charged
with murder in the Feb. 26, 2006, death of Sean Paddock. Authorities
said Sean was bound so tightly in blankets that he suffocated.Defense attorneys have argued that Sean’s death was accidental and that Paddock’s actions were a form of discipline, not abuse.
Read the whole article here.
Harlow's Monkey 
Okay, I’m horrified by this. Not because of the woman who did this (that’s horrific itself), but because I was unaware that swaddling could be deadly. It sounds like this woman was doing more than just swaddling. Honestly, Jae Ran, is swaddling an evil thing in the eyes of social workers? I’ve swaddled my children in bed and now am wondering if what I’ve done is considered child abuse? Is it how the swaddling is done, or is all swaddling considered bad parenting? Oh dear…
Petrie, it’s not just swaddling that is at issue here, I believe that “swaddling” done as “discipline” suggests that maybe this child had an attachment disorder or the parents were using a type of discipline/treatment for children with attachment issues. It’s been very controversial within the professional field, as these kinds of methods were once suggested as beneficial but have since come under scrutiny.
I “swaddled” my children when they were babies but I think when you “swaddle” a 4-year old, that’s something else entirely.