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Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale
Published on: August 25, 2014
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Serial neonaticide: Analysis of 126 cases.
Ian Brockington1, Laurence Simmat-Durand2, Alessandra Bramante3
1Professor Emeritus, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
Medicine, Science, and the Law
|December 6, 2024
Summary
Serial neonaticide, the killing of at least three newborns, is often committed by women in stable relationships, sometimes involving family members for population control. Emotional attachment to infants was observed, and under-reporting suggests it
Area of Science:
- Forensic Psychology
- Criminology
- Sociology
Background:
- Neonaticide, the killing of a newborn, is a serious crime.
- Serial neonaticide involves the killing of three or more infants.
- Understanding the patterns and motives behind serial neonaticide is crucial for prevention and intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze cases of serial neonaticide.
- To compare serial neonaticides with single neonaticides.
- To identify characteristics and motives associated with serial neonaticide.
Main Methods:
- Collected 126 cases of serial neonaticide.
- Sourced data from 54 medical reports and 72 newspaper articles.
- Analyzed case details including perpetrator relationship status, family involvement, and motives.
Main Results:
- Serial neonaticide is more common among women in stable relationships.
- Other family members are frequently involved in serial neonaticide cases.
- Motives include family limitation, and emotional attachment to infants was noted.
- Medical under-reporting and ease of concealment suggest higher prevalence.
Conclusions:
- Serial neonaticide exhibits distinct patterns compared to single neonaticides.
- The involvement of partners and family members highlights a complex social dynamic.
- Emotional attachment complicates the understanding of neonaticide motives.
- The true incidence of serial neonaticide may be underestimated due to reporting biases.
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