title: Homicide-followed-by-suicide incidents involving child victims.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe homicide-followed-by-suicide incidents involving child victims
  
  
  METHODS
  Using 2003-2009 National Violent Death Reporting System data, we characterized 129 incidents based on victim and perpetrator demographic information, their relationships, the weapons/mechanisms involved, and the perpetrators' health and stress-related circumstances.
  
  
  RESULTS
  These incidents accounted for 188 child deaths; 69% were under 11 years old, and 58% were killed with a firearm. Approximately 76% of perpetrators were males, and 75% were parents/caregivers. Eighty-one percent of incidents with paternal perpetrators and 59% with maternal perpetrators were preceded by parental discord. Fifty-two percent of incidents with maternal perpetrators were associated with maternal psychiatric problems.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Strategies that resolve parental conflicts rationally and facilitate detection and treatment of parental mental conditions might help prevention efforts.
authors.affiliation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Atlanta, GA, USA. ffa3@cdc.gov
authors.forename: Joseph E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Logan
authors.forename: Sabrina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Walsh
authors.forename: Nimeshkumar
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: Jeffrey E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Hall
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002423:Cause of Death; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D006708:Homicide / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D000092864:Suicide Prevention