Familicide attempt: case report of a forensic psychiatric evaluation

Abstract

Homicides followed by the offender's suicide are rare, and their prevalence ranges from 1% to 1.5% in the United States and in the United Kingdom 1 . There are not prevalence studies of this kind in Brazil. Such type of violence may occur in intimate partner homicide (uxoricide), children homicide (filicide), or multiple family members' homicide (familicide). Killing spouse and children is the most common form of familicide 2 , which has steadily grown in the United States 3 . In order to analyze these types of crimes researchers frequently turn to newspapers, or assess survivors' files in forensic psychiatric hospitals 1,2,4 .Familicide offenders are mainly males and victims are mainly females and children. The most common instrument of commitment is the use of firearms owned by the offender, whose following suicide is frequently committed with the use of firearm, by self-hanging, or by medicine overdose 1,2,5 .Familicides are mainly males, older, highly educated, likely to show depressive symptoms during the year prior to the homicide commitment, frequently use of firearms, and are more harmful when compared to filicides 2,6 .When compared to uxoricides, familicides are more likely to be married, less likely to previous offensive behavior, and more prone to commit suicide after the offence 2,7 .Familicides are frequently depressives, narcissistic and dependent personality traits are outstanding among survivors 2 .Studies show that familicide offenders are mainly raised by loss of control over the family, fear of abandonment, narcissistic rage, job loss, long-term unemployment, and inability to support the family 1,2,8 .It is common the alleged altruistic behavior in order to protect family members from catastrophic outcome.The case reported is of a 41 years old man, born and resident in Rio Grande do Sul State countryside, farmer, unfinished basic education, no previous criminal records, assessed for criminal liability evaluation after the attempted murder of his wife and son followed by suicide attempt, at the Mauricio Cardoso Forensic Psychiatric Institute, in Porto Alegre, Brazil.Three years before the offense, the defendant was diagnosed as depressed with history of two suicide attempt. He was then hospitalized and undergo to community treatment afterwards. The

Violent behavior by involuntarily committed female offenders with mental disorders: A population‐based case series

“…Severe mental illness has been associated in certain cases with familicidal behavior, often involving psychotic motivations. Other purportedly associated factors are loss of family control; revenge for the loss of the female partner; fear of abandonment; narcissistic rage; financial difficulties; altruistic urges to defend the family from real or imaginary catastrophes; and instrumental violence [45,46]. One patient in our sample poisoned and killed her two‐year child as revenge for her male partner having eloped with his lover (Medea syndrome).…”

Violent behavior by women involuntarily committed to a forensic psychiatric hospital in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

“…Severe mental illness has been associated with certain cases of familicidal behavior, with an emphasis on psychotic motivations. Other purportedly associated factors are: loss of family control; revenge for loss of the female partner; fear of abandonment; narcissistic rage; financial difficulties; altruistic urges to defend the family from real or imaginary catastrophes; and instrumental violence [44][45] . One patient in our sample poisoned and killed her two-year child as revenge for her male partner having left her for another woman.…”