Citation

Klyman CM. Am. J. Forensic Psychiatr. 2006; 27(3): 5-20.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2006, American College of Forensic Psychiatry, Publisher R. Shlensky)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This article will review the history of infanticide and its cultural contexts. It will focus on the specific situation of the killer-mother with a post-partum psychosis whose condition is not yet definitively diagnosable, whose treatment by the law is variable-from suspended sentence to life imprisonment-and where psychiatrists and lawyers find themselves in uncharted waters. In citing a particular Michigan case in which the author was the defense expert consultant for the surviving mother, husband and sibling, some of the commonalities and the possible unique solution of voluntary sterilization will be addressed, to help design more therapeutic handling of these tragedies. Copyright 2006 American Journal of Forensic Psychiatry.

Language: en

Keywords

adult; human; suicide; law; female; health education; case report; family; psychotherapy; prison; infanticide; Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale; review; estradiol; antidepressant agent; neuroleptic agent; psychiatrist; fluoxetine; mirtazapine; paroxetine; venlafaxine; cultural factor; haloperidol; trazodone; olanzapine; risperidone; puerperal depression; puerperal psychosis; hypnotic agent; lawyer; punishment; mood stabilizer; involuntary commitment; female sterilization