Overview of Filicide: Characteristics and Classification

Abstract

Child murder is most common at the hands of a biologic or stepparent. Attempts to better understand filicide, or child murder by a parent, has resulted in several proposed classification schemes. Like most of the research in this area, the proposed classification schemes provide a conceptualization to understand why filicide occurs but have several limitations. Resnick's classification by motive, developed in 1969, is the most widely cited. A child is at highest risk of filicide within the first 24 hours of life. Mothers are responsible for more neonaticides than fathers, but filicides after the first day of life are committed equally by mothers and fathers. In many cases mental illness was present in filicides as well as suicide attempts following the filicidal act. This paper provides an overview of filicide including classification schemes and offender characteristics.