A PROFILE OF PARENTAL HOMICIDE AGAINST CHILDREN

The purpose of this study was to provide a profile of victims and offe nders in cases where children were killed by their parents. The data w ere all incidents (3,459) in which a parent killed a child under age 1 8, which were recorded in the Uniform Crime Reports between 1976 and 1 985. In the first week of a child's life, the risk of being killed by a parent was equal for males and females. From 1 week to 15 years, mal es were the victims in about 55% of all parent-child homicides; the pe rcentage of male victims increased to 77% in the 16-18 age group. Amon g infants in the first week of life, mothers were almost always the on es who committed the homicide. Between the first week of life and the teenage years, mothers and fathers were about equally likely to kill t heir child. During the 13-15 year age group, fathers committed 63% of all homicides, and this increased to 80% among the 16-18 year age grou p. Among very young children, the causes of death tended to be persona l weapons, asphyxiation, or drowning. As age increased, the weapons be came predominantly guns and knives.