NCJ Number
234013
Journal
Child Abuse & Neglect Volume: 34 Issue: 12 Dated: December 2010 Pages: 935-942
Date Published
December 2010
Length
8 pages
Annotation
This indepth analysis of child homicides in the territory of Belgrade, Republic of Serbia, determined the incidence and demonstrated other epidemiological and medico-legal characteristics of such cases.
Abstract
The study identified 46 homicides in which the victims were ages 0-14 years old; 24 were girls, and 22 boys. In 69.6 percent of the cases, the perpetrator was one of the child's birth parents, more often the mother. Blunt head trauma was the most frequent cause of death, followed by exsanguination. In nine cases (19.5 percent), there was evidence of physical abuse. Sixteen children died in the context of multiple homicides and/or murder/suicide. In four cases (8.7 percent), there was evidence of neglect that contributed to the death. There were 10 cases in which the victims were newborn infants; however, there 49 additional cases in which bodies of newborn infants were discovered after having been disposed of in suspicious circumstances. This was a retrospective analysis of all autopsies conducted at the Institute of Forensic Medicine in Belgrade during the 15-year period between 1991 and 2005. This encompassed years in which profound political, social, and economic changes impacted Serbia and its capital Belgrade. This study was concerned with the impact of these turbulent years on the incidence and other characteristics of child homicides in Belgrade. The study focused on homicides of children ages 0-14 years old. Data address number of deaths, mortality rates, age, and sex of the victims, relation to the perpetrator, and cause of death and injury. 5 tables and 35 references