CEDAR RAPIDS - A sudden and silent killer steals 2,300 babies from their families every year. Health experts say it is the leading cause of death in infants ranging in age from one month to one year. The terrifying reality is that there is no cure. Two Cedar Rapids families are sharing their sad stories, hoping other families will avoid the pain of losing a very little loved one.

The Borelli bunch feels more like a family when they are in their backyard. A corner garden keeps memories of a lost family member alive.

"One more person should be here and isn't," says Tricia Borelli.

The Davis family is walking that same painful path.

"Not a day goes by I don't think about him," says Andria Davis.

Two families missing two baby boys...Nathaniel Frederick Borelli.

"He was born on June 4, 2002. He looked just like his dad, which is nice and hard because all of our kids kind of favor my side of the family," says Borelli.

And Cole Alexander Davis.

"He was born on May 17, 2007. He did a lot of things early. He rolled over early, laughed early, and made sounds early," says Davis.

Both are victims of an incurable syndrome, guilty of causing the most deaths in infants one month to one year of age

"At daycare, he was on his tummy," says Borelli.

"Tricia is the one who called me on the phone crying, saying come to the emergency room because Nate's not breathing," says Ted Borelli.

"I called his daycare provider to check on him. We had a conversation how happy he was there. Ten minutes later, she called to tell me he wasn't breathing. He was laid down on a regular bed, a regular mattress, on a comforter," says Davis.

"It's really hard to say your baby went to sleep and didn't wake up," says Borelli.

"They said it was SIDS," says Davis.

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, or SIDS, is killing Iowa babies at a pretty consistent rate. In the past ten years, about 30 infants have died every year. Last year there were 42 SIDS deaths.

"I think there is not enough education," says Davis.

So both families are teaching others simple steps to reduce the risk of SIDS.

"First of all, keep baby on back to sleep," says Borelli.

"Keep house at 68 degrees so baby doesn't overheat," says Davis.

"There shouldn't be anything in there except firm mattress and sheet," says Borelli.

"No pillows, no stuffed animals, no blankets," says Davis.

Their message is follow safe sleeping habits until researchers find a way to save infants from SIDS.

"He was only five months and ten days old," says Borelli.

"He was only here for ten weeks," says Davis.

Two young lives lost. Two families left grieving. Two stories that will hopefully prevent others from living this pain.

"There's already a lot of things you worry about with babies. You shouldn't have to worry about them when you put them down to sleep," says Borelli.

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SIDS in Iowa