Families which had experienced two or more unexpected infant deaths we
re the subject of detailed confidential enquiries, including necropsy
examination. Cases were derived from two main sources: first, deaths o
ccurring during a nationwide programme of support for families with a
subsequent baby (8 families) plus 2 families from a series of confiden
tial enquiries in Sheffield, and second, direct referrals from paediat
ricians (17 families). Fifty-seven deaths were studied. Twenty-four fa
milies had experienced 2 and three had experienced 3 deaths: 11 deaths
(19%) were found to be adequately explained by history or post-mortem
findings; 7 (12%) were probably accidental; 31 (55%) were most probab
ly due to an action by one of the parents (filicide); only 5 (9%) were
considered to be true or idiopathic sudden infant death syndrome; in
3 (5%) cases there was insufficient information to draw a conclusion.
Five (18%) of the families lived in circumstances of serious social de
privation. A history of psychiatric illness was present in one or both
parents in 18 (67%) of the families.