Citation

Krischer MK, Stone MH, Sevecke K, Steinmeyer EM. Int. J. Law Psychiatry 2007; 30(3): 191-200.

Affiliation

Clinic of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Cologne, Robert-Koch-Strasse 10, 50935 Cologne, Germany.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2007, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.ijlp.2007.03.003

PMID

17449099

Abstract

The objective of this study was to examine different motivational factors, leading mothers to commit neonaticidal, infanticidal or filicidal acts. This study was based on data gathered through a retrospective chart review of all filicidal women admitted to the Mid-Hudson Forensic Psychiatric Hospital in New York State (MHFPC) between 1976 and 2000 (n=57). Because our sample was drawn from MHFPC records it excludes filicidal mothers who went directly to prison. Our women were either found not competent to stand trial, or found not guilty by reason of insanity, or were convicted offenders who were seriously mentally ill and were not sent to prison. Fourteen percent committed neonaticide, meaning that they killed their child within the first day of its life; 21% killed the child after the first day but before it reached its first birthday (infanticide); and 65% committed filicide by murdering a child older than one. Two groups of women could be identified as having different motivational profiles: The neonaticidal mothers were mostly troubled by psychosis and social problems while the filicidal women were defined as severely depressed, with a history of self-directed violence and a high rate of suicide attempts following the filicidal offense.

Language: en