Victim, perpetrator, and offense characteristics in filicide and filicide–suicide

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to provide a critical review of most recent studies of parental and stepparental filicide. A detailed review of the literature revealed the importance of certain demographic, environmental, and psychosocial factors in the commission of child homicide.Our findings indicate that filicides perpetrated by genetic parents and stepparents differ considerably in terms of underlying motivational factors. Data in the literature suggest that biological parents are more likely to choose methods of killing which produce quick and painless death, whereas stepparents frequently kill their wards by beating. Research results demonstrate the victims of maternal filicides to be significantly younger than the victims of paternal filicides. Additionally, filicide-suicide is most often associated with parental psychopathology. Genetic fathers are at the greatest risk of death by suicide after the commission of familicide. These findings are discussed in relation to theoretical frameworks explaining the occurrence of child murder. Further, limitations of reviewed studies and directions for future research are presented.

Homicide–Suicide in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, 1991–2016

“…classification, those involving intimate partners are still the most prevalent. Consistent with prior research indicating it is rare for mothers who kill infants to commit suicide ; none of the homicide–suicides in Cuyahoga County during this 26‐year period involved mothers committing neonaticide or infanticide.…”

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

“…Overall, the diagnostic findings of our study are in line with those of several previous studies (Bourget et al, 2007;Debowska, Boduszek, & Dhingra, 2015;Flynn et al, 2007Flynn et al, , 2013Hatters Friedman, Hrouda, et al, 2005;Lysell et al, 2014;Putkonen, Amon, et al, 2009), although inter-study comparisons in this field are problematic, as discussed in the introductory chapters. To our knowledge, the presence of autism-spectrum disorders has not previously been reported in a sample of child-homicide offenders, although such disorders have been noted among the victims (Coorg & Tournay, 2012;Palermo, 2003).…”

An Examination of the Mental Health and Negative Life Events of Women Who Killed Their Children

“…Some studies have suggested a potential link between childhood trauma and filicide (Debowska et al 2015;Mugavin 2005;Oberman and Meyer 2008;Smithey 1997). For instance, Crimmins et al (1997) have approached the issue from a self-psychological perspective, suggesting that serious negative experiences during childhood cause damage to a woman's self, making it difficult for her to care for dependents.…”