Mothers Commit 72% of All Infant Homicides
SAVE
April 4, 2023
A comprehensive review of child homicides around the world reached this conclusion:
“The 12 countries with detailed data on parent as perpetrators showed mothers commit the majority of parental homicides of children under 1 year (71.7% (IQR: 50.2–75.7)).”
To illustrate the extent of the problem, below are the results of a Google search that looked for news stories about American mothers who killed their children in the last 12 months:
- Texas mother charged with capital murder after three children found dead, two injured: https://www.fox8tv.com/texas-mother-charged-with-capital-murder-after-three-children-found-dead-two-injured/
- Mother accused of killing three children in Massachusetts. The district attorney said the incident, in which a 5-year-old girl, a 3-old-boy and a 8-month-old boy were killed, was “an unimaginable, senseless tragedy.” https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/two-children-dead-infant-hospitalized-massachusetts-mothers-suicide-at-rcna67456
- Georgia mother charged with kids’ murders during house fire denied bond; father pleas for help: https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/paulding-county-deadly-fire-mother-charged-murder
- 3 children allegedly killed by mother in West Hills, possibly with help of 16-year-old son, identified: https://www.foxla.com/news/west-hills-murder-3-children-allegedly-killed-by-mother-identified
- Mother charged in deaths of her 2 toddlers found stabbed multiple times in bathtub: https://abc7ny.com/toddlers-stabbed-drowned-bronx/12502567/
- Mom Accused of Shooting Her 2 Sons in Bucks County Home: https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/bucks-county-woman-manhunt/3225791/
- Gresham woman kills 2 young children, herself in midst of custody battle: https://www.oregonlive.com/eastportland/2022/05/gresham-mother-two-children-dead-in-apparent-murder-suicide-police-say.html
- Mother that killed her kids ran illegal daycare in Connecticut: https://www.marca.com/en/lifestyle/us-news/2022/07/29/62e3671bca4741de058b457c.html
- Mother accused of killing her 2 children in Little Haiti: https://www.local10.com/news/local/2022/04/13/officers-respond-to-911-hang-up-find-2-unresponsive-children-inside-little-haiti-home/
- Arrest reports detail horrific scene inside home where children were stabbed: https://www.wwltv.com/article/news/local/orleans/janee-pedesclaux-stabbing-new-orleans/289-b94560c6-663f-4845-af06-c98ad1204d2b
- Cary mother charged with murdering 2 children had multiple previous reports of neglect: https://www.wral.com/cary-mother-charged-with-murdering-2-children-had-multiple-previous-reports-of-neglect/20452764/
- Mom Accused of Killing Kids in Idaho Says She Has an Alibi: https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/idaho/articles/2023-01-10/mom-accused-of-killing-kids-in-idaho-says-she-has-an-alibi