Child murder committed by severely mentally III mothers: an examination of mothers found not guilty by reason of insanity. 2005 Honorable Mention/Richard Rosner Award for the best paper by a fellow in forensic psychiatry or forensic psychology.
Forensic hospital records of 39 severely mentally ill mothers adjudicated Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity for filicide (child murder by parents) were analyzed to describe characteristics preceding this tragedy and to suggest prevention strategies. Almost three-quarters of the mothers (72%) had previous mental health treatment. Over two thirds (69%) of the mothers were experiencing auditory hallucinations, most frequently command hallucinations, and half (49%) were depressed at the time of the offense. Over one third (38%) of the filicides occurred during pregnancy or the postpartum period, and many had a history of postpartum psychosis. Almost three-quarters (72%) of the mothers had experienced considerable developmental stressors, such as death of their own mother or incest. Maternal motives for filicide were predominantly "altruistic" (meaning murder out of love) or "acutely psychotic" (occurring in the throes of psychosis, without rational motive). Psychiatrists should perform careful risk assessments for filicide in mothers with mental illnesses.
Friedman
Susan Hatters
SH
Case Western Reserve University, University Hospitals of Cleveland, Department of Psychiatry, Hanna Pavilion, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, USA. Susan.Hatters-Friedman@uhhs.com
Hrouda
Debra R
DR
Holden
Carol E
CE
Noffsinger
Stephen G
SG
Resnick
Phillip J
PJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002655:Child Custody; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D019052:Depression, Postpartum / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005555:Forensic Psychiatry; D006212:Hallucinations / Q000523:psychology; D006708:Homicide; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007298:Insanity Defense; D008016:Life Change Events; D028642:Persons with Psychiatric Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D008722:Methods; D008824:Michigan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D009042:Motivation; D009820:Ohio / Q000453:epidemiology; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology