Newborns Killed or Left to Die by a Parent: A Population-Based Study

Abstract

At no time of life are individuals more at risk of homicide than on the first day. Many reasons have been advanced for One possible reason, a wish not to have a child, led 42 states to pass orSafe Surrender laws in the hope of preventing neonaticide. The investigators reviewed all deaths of newborn infants in the first 4 days of life, accessed in North Carolina from 1985-2000. Thirty-four newborn infants had been killed or discarded by a parent. They represented 0.002% of all live-born infants during the period under review, for a rate of 2.1 per 100,000 per year. Thirty-one deaths were considered homicides, whereas 3 were ruled accidental or natural but were related to conditions of discarding and a lack of care. In the unlikely event that laws were in effect in all states and invoked by all parents, an estimated 85 lives might be saved each year in the United States. Newborn male infants were most at risk, comprising 59% of cases (35% were female and the others indeterminate). Accounting for 53% of cases were blacks, who were overrepresented. The mean maternal age was 19 years; more than half were 18 years or older. Only 21% of mothers were known to be married. In 29 cases, the mother was found to be perpetrator. Eight of 17 women evaluated had received prenatal care. More than one third of victims were second- or third-born infants. In nearly one fourth of cases, the mother denied being pregnant. The most common causes of death were asphyxiation or strangulation (41.1%) and drowning (26.5%). The investigators believe that efforts are needed to inform the general public of Safe Haven laws. If resources are limited, measures should be directed toward preventing adolescent pregnancies. Young adults and prenatal care clinics are other targets for preventive measures.