Pathologist: Homicide is No1 cause of death in child cases

Absence of a centralised system hampers efforts to identify trends

- BY LYNNE KELLEHER

HOMICIDE is the leading cause of child deaths examined by the State Pathologist, a new study has found.

An analysis of paediatric and perinatal cases referred to Chief State Pathologist Dr Linda Mulligan's office over a five-year period revealed that nearly one in three – 31% – involved confirmed homicide.

Of the 65 child deaths investigated between 2018 and 2022, homicide accounted for the highest number of cases, followed by natural causes, which made up just 22%.

The rate was particularly high among children aged 1 to 12, with 13 out of 22 cases – or 59% – involving confirmed homicide.

The researchers raised concerns about maternal involvement as the child's mother was the suspected perpetrator in two-thirds of the homicides among children aged one to 12.

"Eight cases of homicide were suspected to involve the child's mother," the researchers wrote.