Women who kill their children

Area of Science:

• Forensic Psychology
• Criminology
• Psychiatry

Background:

• Maternal filicide, the killing of a child by its mother, presents complex legal and psychiatric challenges.
• Understanding the diverse motivations and circumstances behind these acts is crucial for legal and therapeutic interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To categorize and analyze different types of maternal filicide.
• To compare these types based on social, psychiatric, and legal factors.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of the Infanticide Act.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective analysis of 89 female offenders charged with child homicide or attempted murder between 1970-1975.
• Classification of cases into six distinct filicide types: battering, mentally ill, neonaticide, retaliating, unwanted child, and mercy killing.
• Comparison of offender characteristics, offense patterns, and court dispositions across the identified types.

Main Results:

• Six maternal filicide types were identified: battering mothers (36 cases), mentally ill mothers (24 cases), neonaticides (11 cases), retaliating mothers (9 cases), mothers of unwanted children (8 cases), and mercy killing (1 case).
• Significant differences were observed in social and psychiatric profiles, offense patterns, and legal outcomes among the filicide types.
• The study provides empirical data on the operation of the Infanticide Act.

Conclusions:

• Maternal filicide is not a monolithic phenomenon, encompassing diverse typologies with distinct underlying factors.
• The findings underscore the need for nuanced legal and psychiatric approaches tailored to specific filicide categories.
• Further research is warranted to refine understanding and inform policy regarding child homicide by mothers.