Adopted children who kill their adoptive parents

Abstract

The killing of parents, frequently referred to as parricide, is a disturbing phenomenon that often generates widespread media coverage. Most of the scholarly literature on this topic has focused on biological offspring who kill mothers and fathers. Some analyses have examined juveniles and adults who kill their stepparents. To date, virtually no research exists on children who kill their adoptive parents because this type of victim–offender relationship has been absent from available homicide databases, thereby preventing such analyses. The present study is a content analysis of news reports of 46 cases of adopted children who killed their adoptive parents in several different countries. Data pertaining to offender and victim demographics, incident characteristics, and the processing of offenders from the initial charge through conviction and sentencing are examined. To the extent possible, media accounts are used to classify cases according to motives or circumstances leading to the killings. The article concludes with a comparison of profiles of children who kill adoptive parents in relation to those who kill biological parents, important observations that emerged from these news accounts, and discussion of possible explanations of parricide by adopted children, including adopted children syndrome, reactive attachment disorder, and biological risk factors. Limitations of this study and directions for future research are addressed.

The typology of parricide and the role of mental illness: Data‐driven approach

“…typology of parricide offenders (Heide & Boots, 2007;Hubbell, Heide, & Khachatryan, 2019;Moen, 2017;Myers & Vo, 2012). Heide (2017) proposed four distinct types of homicide offenders: severely abused offenders (usually by the victim), severely mentally ill offenders, dangerously antisocial offenders, and the enraged parricide offender.…”

“…Typologies play an important role in many social sciences, providing directions for both theoretical and practical work (Collier, LaPorte, & Seawright, 2012). Many studies have used and examined Heide's typology of parricide offenders (Heide & Boots, 2007; Hubbell, Heide, & Khachatryan, 2019; Moen, 2017; Myers & Vo, 2012). Heide (2017) proposed four distinct types of homicide offenders: severely abused offenders (usually by the victim), severely mentally ill offenders, dangerously antisocial offenders, and the enraged parricide offender.…”

Adopted children who kill their adoptive parents: An examination through the lens of attachment theory

“…However, in a recent study, Hubbell et al. (2019) were able to examine adoptees who killed their parents by using content analysis of newspaper articles. They found adopted parricide offenders frequently killed or attempted to kill both adoptive parents.…”

“…When Hubbell et al. (2019) compared these findings to previous studies investigating individuals who killed their biological parents, three important differences emerged. Adopted parricide offenders, relative to their biological counterparts, were much more likely to kill both parents (74% vs. 8%), to be juveniles (52% vs. 18%), and to be under age 25 (89% vs. 46%).…”

Introductory essay to this issue: International perspectives on homicide and the law: Part III

“…An intra‐familial homicide involving the parent–child relationship is parricide, where the child kills the parent. One might hope that adoption would invariably succeed, but as Hubbell and colleagues have demonstrated in prior research, adopted children have killed their stepparent(s) (Hubbell et al., 2019), a tragedy in need of explanation. In a follow‐up study, Hubbell and colleagues examined whether attachment theory played a role in cases of parricide of adoptive parents, by comparing parricides by early adoptees with those adopted at a later age (Hubbell, Heide, & Wagers, pp.…”