Three subsequent infanticides covered up as SIDS

Abstract

Within a period of 9 years a young woman lost 3 daughters during infancy and each time death was attributed to the sudden infant death syndrome. The children had different fathers and died at the ages of 11 weeks, 7 weeks and 2 weeks, respectively. A fourth daughter survived and lives separated from the mother together with her father and is healthy. At autopsy the last of the three deceased infants did not reveal any pre-existing pathological organ findings, except for acute pulmonary emphysema and extensive intra-alveolar bleeding. As a consequence the strong suspicion of mechanical suffocation arose. Subsequent police investigations produced incriminating clues that the first two children had also been suffocated. On confrontation with the autopsy findings and investigation results, the woman confessed that she herself had killed the first two infants by pressing a cushion on their faces. In the case of the third death the baby had been smothered by the child's father who in agreement with the mother put a plastic film on mouth and nostrils.

Covert homicide: When SIDS is not SIDS, reason for the missed identification

“…It was not until the third infant death that the police conducted an extensive investigation. The investigation resulted in the mother confessing to smoothing the infants with a pillow (23). A skilled interrogation after the first death might have discovered what really transpired surrounding the first death and would have prevented future deaths.…”

“…A skilled interrogation after the first death might have discovered what really transpired surrounding the first death and would have prevented future deaths. The mother's motive for the infanticide was that caring for the infant was too strenuous (23). The role of the courts and prosecution must change.…”

“…While the majority of infant deaths occur while Important histological markers have been reported for the diagnosis of death due to asphyxia caused by obstruction of the respiratory passage. The detection of these histological markers would strengthen the diagnosis that a death was caused by suffocation (23). The toxicological analysis is also critical in identifying infants that died from an accidental overdose of prescription medication or from deliberate poisoning (1).…”

“…Suffocation by hand requires applying a minimal amount of force to occlude the mouth and nose and results in no specific forensic evidence of the mechanism (23). It is also well understood that smothering an infant with a pillow also leaves no clear forensic evidence of the act (23).…”

“…It has been estimated that between 0.6% (46) to 10% (45) of deaths that are sudden and unexpected are due to suffocation. Studies have reported that 2% of SIDS are homicides due to suffocation (18,19,23,29). Studies conducted in 1986 and 1993 concluded that 2/5 of repeat SIDS probably resulted from covert homicide (2).…”