Filicide: Historical review and prevention of child death by parent

Abstract

Filicide has occurred throughout the world since before recorded history. Although rates have declined in developed nations, it remains a leading cause of child death with approximately equal numbers of children killed by fathers and mothers. A large percentage of filicides is associated with mental illness, particularly postpartum depression and psychosis. The remainder results from child abuse and neglect. Men convicted of filicide are usually incarcerated whereas female perpetrators are more likely to receive treatment-oriented sentences. Individuals working with families and children should be trained to recognize risk factors and intervene to protect endangered children.

Child homicide: generating victim and suspect risk profiles

“…This paper builds modestly on previous work which has identified how the risks of homicide tend to change with the age of the child (e.g. Daly and Wilson, 1985;1998;Crittendon and Craig, 1990;Finkelhor, 1997;Boudreux, Lord and Dutra, 1999;Finklehor and Ormrod, 2000;Lawrence, 2004;Adler and Polk, 2008;Koenen and Thompson, 2008;and Mayes et al, 2010) not only by examining the data in more detail but also through applying more advanced statistical techniques. The main aim of using the more advanced techniques is to attempt identify more detailed risk clusters for specific ages, rather than simply using the frequently used large categories of early-childhood; middle childhood and teenager (adolescent).…”

Intra- and extra-familial child homicide in Sweden 1992–2012: A population-based study

“…Yet, the practice of killing children dates back in history and has at times been a socially accepted way of ensuring the lives of fit family members at the expense of less healthy ones (Hatters Friedman, Cavney, & Resnick, 2012;Koenen et al, 2008;Sharma, 2006;West, 2007). Even today, political means of population control, e.g., the one-child policy of China, are believed to spur the killing of childrenmainly females, since, in the societies in question, they impose much more of a financial and cultural burden on their families than their male counterparts (Koenen et al, 2008). Globally, the rate of homicides involving victims under the age of 15 years is estimated to be 2 per 100 000 inhabitants, with marked differences across the globe (see Figure 2) (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 2014).…”

Ambivalence toward mothers who kill: An examination of 45 U.S. cases of maternal neonaticide

“…Established in 1941, the French decree allows a pregnant woman to enter any public hospital without having to disclose her name or other personal information. After giving birth, she is not charged for her hospital expenses and can then legally abandon the baby (Koenen & Thompson, 2008). Reportedly, the practice has been successful: France reports that an average of 600 women give birth secretly each year (Lefaucheur, 2004).…”

“…In almost all neonaticide cases, the mother is the perpetrator; fathers are rarely known to commit neonaticide (Resnick, 1970). Fathers do not have the same access to newborns as mothers, and the unique stressors associated with this crime do not necessarily apply to men (Koenen & Thompson, 2008;Resnick, 1970). Though it is not a new phenomenon, public opinion about neonaticide has varied across time and cultures, and the legal ramifications of neonaticide are inconsistent at best (Mendlowicz, Jean-Louise, Gekker, & Rapaport, 1999).…”