Child Abuse and Infanticide

Child abuse is the purposefully inflicted injury of a child through physical, sexual, or emotional abuse or neglect. Child abuse and neglect includes all types of abuse and neglect of a child under 18 years old, by a parent, caregiver, or person in a custodial role (e.g. teacher or coach) that results in harm, potential for harm, or a threat to harm a child. One in seven children in the United States is estimated to experience some form of maltreatment in their lifetimes. This is likely an underestimate because many cases are not reported. Children under 1 year of age have the highest rates of victimization, and approximately one-third of those abused are under the age of 3 years. In 2021, 1820 children died of abuse and neglect in the United States. Child fatalities may occur with a single episode of abusive injury, multiple injuries of various ages, or subtle forms of abuse. This chapter includes historical perspectives, characteristics of child abusers, the role of the medicolegal death investigator in scene investigation, types of child abuse, and infanticide.