Intra-familial child homicide in Finland 1970-1994: incidence, causes of death and demographic characteristics

The purpose of this study was to investigate all child homicides for the 25 -year period, 1970-1994 in Finland and to analyse the specific characterist ics of the filicide cases. A total of 292 child homicides occurred during t his period. In 201 (69%) cases the offender was a parent or a stepparent of the child. Altogether, 173 (59%) of the victims were boys and 119 (41%) we re girls. For the closer examination of the filicide cases we excluded the neonaticide and homicide-suicide cases. Consequently. we report on 70 filic ide victims. Of these victims, 42 (60%) were boys and 28 (40%) were girls. Twenty six (37%) of the children were killed before the age of 1 year and 5 3 (79%) before the age of 5 years. The offender was the mother in 43 (61%) cases and the father or the stepfather in 26 (37%) cases. The victims of th e mothers were younger than those of the fathers. The most frequent causes of death were head injuries, drowning and suffocation. The most common mean s of assault were battering, drowning and strangulation. One in two of the Fatally battered children had a documented history of previous abuse. (C) 2 001 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.