Maternal filicide has been discussed in the medical, mental health, and child abuse fields, yet little research exists with a criminal justice/law enforcement perspective. Nevertheless, criminal justice professionals responsible for investigation and prosecution of these offenders often must give attention to unique behavioral, social, and psychological dynamics not considered in many other types of cases. The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) III – Crimes Against Children identified, collected, and reviewed law enforcement case files in which a biological mother killed her child(ren). Collectively, the cases involve 213 biological mothers who killed 265 children, and are comprised of neonaticide, infanticide, and filicide cases. Data analysis revealed that the offenders ranged in age from 12-46 years, and many were unmarried, unemployed, and had a history of violence. Many of the victims were three years of age or younger, did not live with their biological fathers at the time of their deaths, and had a history of maltreatment most often perpetrated by their mothers. In addition, traditional weapons such as a firearm or knife were used less often compared to asphyxiants and blunt force instruments. The authors explore the tenets of female violence, the mother-child dynamic and mental disorders, and address the complexities associated with investigating and prosecuting maternal filicide offenders. ​

"Maternal filicide-the killing of a child by the mother-is not a new phenomenon. Evidence of mothers killing their infants dates back to at least 2000 B.C.E. and the ancient Chaldean civilization. The trial of Andrea Yates in 2001 for drowning her five children, however, captured the public attention in a way few similar cases had before. Initially met with public shock and outrage, the Yates case also spotlighted postpartum psychosis and maternal mental health forensics-the intersection of maternal mental illness and the criminal justice system. Coedited by George Parnham, the attorney who successfully defended Yates, this book includes his narrative account of how he first heard about and came to take on the case. It also features real case examples from more than 30 experts in the field representing eight countries. In addition, the book includes a chapter on paternal filicide, an important subject that receives far too little attention in the literature. Firmly rooted in research, thorough in its description of theory, and packed with practical applications, this volume highlights the necessary competency areas for those involved in maternal mental health forensics, whether psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, or lawyers"--

"The purpose of this study is to identify the history and behavioral trends of maternal filicide in the United States. This study examines six cases of filicide that were highly publicized by the media. The media tends to overdramatize certain aspects of cases, which then leads to the overshadowing of actual facts. The data was gathered from court records, police reports, televised offender interviews, and records of psychiatric assessments. The cases that were reviewed were homicides that took place between 1997 and 2005. The study examined the childhood, mental history, prior criminal history, motives and the family-of-origin for each of the filicidal women. The mean age of the mothers at the time they committed the offense was 29.83 years. The women ranged in age from 18 to 38 years. The six women in the study killed a combined total of 17 children (16 males and 1 female). Males were overrepresented as victims in this study compared to other research involving maternal filicide."--Abstract of thesis.

1. Introduction2. Neonaticide, infanticide, and filicide research: What do we know?3. Classification of maternal filicide: What do we know?4. Risk analysis and the Maternal Filicide Risk Matrix5. Prevention and Risk Intervention Points6. Detached mother-Denial type: Cathy7. Detached mother-Ambivalent type: Edna8. Detached mother-Resentful type: Francine9. Detached mother-Exhausted type: Glenda10. Abusive/neglectful mother-Recurrent type: Harriet11. Abusive/neglectful mother-Reactive type: Janet12. Abusive/neglectful mother-Inadequate type: Kaye13. Psychotic/depressed mother-Delusional type: Ba.

Milne provides a comprehensive analysis of conviction outcomes through court transcripts of 14 criminal cases in England and Wales during 2010 to 2019. Drawing on feminist theories of responsibilisation and 'gendered harm', she critically reflects on the gendered nature of criminal justice's responses to suspected infanticide.

This compelling and unique collection of critical and creative work assesses for the first time cultural, literary, legal and historical representations and narratives about mothers who kill and filicide. The idea of a mother killing her child to many presents the greatest taboo, and the most disturbing and distressing aspect of maternal experience. In Toni Morrison's 1987 novel Beloved, escaped slave mother Sethe addresses her daughter Beloved whom she murdered out of desperation, in order to avoid her returning to a life of slavery and sexual abuse. Sethe reflects, "I'll explain to her, even though I don't have to. Why I did it. How if I hadn't killed her she would have died and that is something I could not bear to happen to her. When I explain it she'll understand." This book goes beyond Morrison's widely known literary portrayal, in order to investigate a range of other, less known but no less challenging, examinations of maternal filicide. Have mothers who kill inevitably been portrayed as monsters in cultural representations? Or are there certain contexts that may urge us to reevaluate maternal behavior? And how might we counter the misogynist narratives surrounding maternal

This multidisciplinary volume assembles current findings on violent crime, behavioral, biological, and sociological perspectives on its causes, and effective methods of intervention and prevention. Noted experts across diverse fields apply a behavioral criminology lens to examine crimes committed by minors, extremely violent offenses, sexual offending, violence in families, violence in high-risk settings, and crimes of recent and emerging interest. The work of mental health practitioners and researchers is shown informing law enforcement response to crime in interrogation, investigative analysis, hostage negotiations, and other core strategies. In addition, chapters pay special attention to criminal activities that violate traditional geographic boundaries, from cyberstalking to sex trafficking to international terrorism. Among the topics in the Handbook: · Dyadic conceptualization, measurement, and analysis of family violence. · School bullying and cyberbullying: prevalence, characteristics, outcomes, and prevention. · A cultural and psychological perspective on mass murder. · Young people displaying problematic sexual behavior: the research and their words. · Child physical abuse and neglect. · Criminal interviewing and interrogation in serious crime investigations. · Violence in correctional settings. · Foundations of threat assessment and management. The Handbook of Behavioral Criminology is a meticulous resource for researchers in criminology, psychology, sociology, and related fields. It also informs developers of crime prevention programs and practitioners assessing and intervening with criminal clients and in correctional facilities.

Designed for students and practitioners, this practical book shows how to do evidence-based research in public health. As a great deal of evidence-based practice occurs online, it focuses on how to find, use, and interpret online sources of public health information. It also includes examples of community-based participatory research and shows how to link data with community preferences and needs.

Few crimes generate greater public reaction than those where a mother murders her child. We are repelled, yet mesmerized, by the emerging details of cases such as Andrea Yates and Susan Smith. Annually, hundreds of infants and young children perish at the hands of their mothers. How could a mother destroy the first and most fundamental relationship we experience? In Why Mothers Kill: A Forensic Psychologist's Casebook, Geoffrey R. McKee, Ph.D. uses more than a dozen case studies from his 29-year forensic psychological evaluation practice to help us, and most importantly, prevent these horrific events from occurring. He applies current research findings to analyze, explain, and suggest practical interventions to alter the personal, familial, and situational circumstances that may influence some mothers to kill. With an emphasis on prevention, Dr. McKee sets out specific strategies that might have been employed at various "risk intervention points" occurring before the child's death. Through the use of extended narratives the author brings to life the thoughts and emotions experienced by women in each of the five categories of mothers he has identified from his years of practice. Additionally, the author presents the Maternal Filicide Risk Matrix which he developed to help mental health and medical professionals determine the risk and protective factors that lead mothers to kill their children. Students, as well as mental health and medical professionals will find this an important and unique resource.