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Criminal Justice and Behavior, Vol. 35, No. 4, 522-535 (2008)
DOI: 10.1177/0093854807313410
© 2008 International Association for Correctional and Forensic Psychology

Investigative Analysis of Neonaticide

An Exploratory Study

Kristen Beyer

FBI National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime, kristen.beyer{at}krbconsultants.com

Shannon McAuliffe Mack

FBI National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime

Joy Lynn Shelton

FBI National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crimejlshelton{at}fbiacademy.edu

Neonaticide (defined as the killing of an infant within the first 24 hours of birth) has occurred throughout history for a variety of reasons. Law enforcement files involving 40 female offenders resulting in 41 infant deaths were examined. Descriptive and frequency statistics revealed that the majority of offenders were young women who had never been married and had no criminal or psychological history. However, approximately a quarter of the sample did not fit these characteristics, which has implications for broadening the scope of investigations. The findings of this research identified four main challenges associated with neonaticide investigations: (a) variation in offender characteristics and situational factors, (b) intermittent denial of the pregnancy, (c) the physical resiliency of the offenders, and (d) lack of documented mental health and criminal history.

Correspondence should be addressed to Kristen R. Beyer, P.O. Box 6566, Fredericksburg, VA 22403; email: kristen.beyer@krbconsultants.com and/or Joy Lynn E. Shelton, FBI Academy - NCAVC, Quantico, VA 22135; email: jlshelton@fbiacademy.edu

Key Words: neonaticide • infanticide • filicide • mothers who kill • infant murder • child/infant homicide • parental murder


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