Abstract
Neonaticide, a crime almost exclusively committed by the biological mother, occurs throughout the world and seems to be one of the least preventable crimes. Mothers who commit neonaticide usually give birth to the child alone and kill their newborn very soon after delivery, most commonly within the first 24 h of life. The majority of newborns are killed by smothering, strangling, head trauma, drowning, or neglect. In most cases, the scene where the dead neonate is found is not consistent with the scene of delivery, and a broad variety of methods of disposal can be observed. Issues that have to be addressed by the forensic pathologist during autopsy include (i) estimating the gestational age and physical maturity of a neonate; (ii) determining whether there are indications of live birth or stillbirth; (iii) answering the question as to whether the child was viable and able to survive, and if so for how long; (iv) documenting lethal and nonlethal injuries as well as underlying (potentially lethal) organic diseases; (v) helping to establish the identity of the mother; and (vi) determining cause, mechanism, and manner of death if possible. In addition to the flotation test for lungs and the stomach, to determine whether the neonate was born alive, postmortem computed multislice tomography assists with the distinction between live and stillbirth but also the differentiation between artificially aerated lungs (resulting from resuscitation attempts) and naturally aerated lungs, making this presently the gold standard in postmortem imaging techniques in addition to autopsy in cases of neonaticide.
Keywords
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsBibliography
Byard RW. Medicolegal problems with infanticide. In: Tsokos M, editor. Forensic pathology reviews, vol. 1. Totowa: Humana Press; 2004. p. 171–85.
Byard RW, James RA, Gilbert JD. Problems associated with cadaveric trauma due to animal activity. Am J Forensic Med Pathol. 2002;23:238–44.
Funayama M, Ikeda T, Tabata N, Azumi JI, Morita M. Case report: repeated neonaticides in Hokkaido. Forensic Sci Int. 1994;64:147–50.
Gheorghe A, Banner J, Hansen SH, Stolborg U, Lynnerup N. Abandonment of newborn infants: a Danish forensic medical survey 1997–2008. Forensic Sci Med Pathol. 2011;7:317–21.
Guddat SS, Gapert R, Tsokos M, Oesterhelweg L. Proof of live birth using postmortem multislice computed tomography (pmMSCT) in cases of suspected neonaticide: advantages of diagnostic imaging compared to conventional autopsy. Forensic Sci Med Pathol. 2013;9:3–12.
Hirvonen J, Tiisala R, Uotila U, Arko H, Tähti E, Laiho K, Marttila A, Tenhu M. Roentgenological and autopsy studies on the gas content of the lungs and gastro-intestinal tract in living and stillborn infants, and sources of error of resuscitation. Dtsch Z Ges Gerichtl Med. 1969;65:73–86.
Kellett RJ. Infanticide and child destruction – the historical, legal and pathological aspects. Forensic Sci Int. 1992;53:1–28.
Khong TY. The placenta and umbilical cord. In: Keeling JW, editor. Fetal and neonatal pathology. 3rd ed. London: Springer; 2001. p. 47–92.
Lavezzi WA, Keough KM, Der’Ohannesian P, Person TLA, Wolf BC. The use of pulmonary interstitial emphysema as an indicator of live birth. Am J Forensic Med Pathol. 2003;24:87–91.
Madea B, Dettmeyer R. Kindestötungen. In: Madea B, editor. Praxis Rechtsmedizin. Befunderhebung, Rekonstruktion, Begutachtung. 2nd ed. Heidelberg: Springer; 2007. p. 200–4.
Mendlowicz MV, Jean-Louis G, Gekker M, Rapaport MH. Neonaticide in the city of Rio de Janeiro: forensic and psycholegal perspectives. J Forensic Sci. 1999;44:741–5.
Nesca M, Dalby JT. Maternal neonaticide following traumatic childbirth: a case study. Int J Offender Ther Comp Criminol. 2011;55:1166–78.
Oehmichen M, Gerling I, Meissner C. Petechiae of the baby’s skin as differentiation symptom of infanticide versus SIDS. J Forensic Sci. 2000;45:602–7.
Pitt SE, Bale EM. Neonaticide, infanticide and filicide: a review of the literature. Bull Am Acad Psychiatry Law. 1995;23:375–86.
Podolsky ML, Jester AW. The distribution of air in the intestinal tract of infants during the first twelve hours as determined by serial roentgenograms. J Pediatr. 1954;45:633–41.
Porter T, Gavin H. Infanticide and neonaticide: a review of 40 years of research literature on incidence and causes. Trauma Violence Abuse. 2010;11:99–112.
Putkonen H, Collander J, Weizmann-Henelius G, Eronen M. Legal outcomes of all suspected neonaticides in Finland 1980–2000. Int J Law Psychiatry. 2007;30:248–54.
Sakurai T, Michiue T, Ishikawa T, Yoshida C, Sakoda S, Kano T, Oritani S, Maeda H. Postmortem CT investigation of skeletal and dental maturation of the fetuses and newborn infants: a serial case study. Forensic Sci Med Pathol. 2012;8:351–7.
Saukko P, Knight B. Knight’s forensic pathology. 3rd ed. London: Arnold; 2004.
Saunders E. Neonaticides following “secret” pregnancies: seven case reports. Public Health Rep. 1989;104:368–72.
Tsokos M. Postmortem changes and artifacts occurring during the early postmortem interval. In: Tsokos M, editor. Forensic pathology reviews, vol. 3. Totowa: Humana Press; 2005. p. 183–237.
Wisser M, Rothschild MA, Schmolling JC, Banaschak S. Caput succedaneum and facial petechiae–birth-associated injuries in healthy newborns under forensic aspects. Int J Legal Med. 2012;126:385–90.
Wissow LS. Infanticide. N Engl J Med. 1998;339:1239–41.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2014 Springer Science+Business Media New York
About this entry
Cite this entry
Tsokos, M. (2014). Neonaticide. In: Collins, K., Byard, R. (eds) Forensic Pathology of Infancy and Childhood. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-61779-403-2_7
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-61779-403-2_7
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY
Print ISBN: 978-1-61779-402-5
Online ISBN: 978-1-61779-403-2
eBook Packages: Biomedical and Life SciencesReference Module Biomedical and Life Sciences