Publication year
2002
Citation Title
Victim, perpetrator, family, and incident characteristics of infant and child homicide in the United States Air Force
Journal Name
Child Abuse & Neglect
Journal Volume
26
Issue Number
2
Page Numbers
167-186
DOI
10.1016/S0145-2134(01)00315-5
Summary
Understanding the characteristics of both the perpetrators and victims of infant and child fatal abuse may help develop strategies to prevent future occurrences. Records of infant (24 hours to less than one year old), young child (ages one to four years), and child (ages five to 15 years) victims in the U.S. Air Force were reviewed for common characteristics and differences between the three groups. Several common factors related to perpetrators and victims were determined and key differences between victim groups were identified.
Key Findings
Perpetrators had a prior history of alcohol abuse in 32% of cases, and outside agencies reported previous domestic or family violence by the perpetrator in 39% of cases.
The majority of incidents involved a potential catalyst (68%), with impending spouse break-up as the most common catalyst (59%).
More families in the young child (59%) and child groups (86%) experienced at least one life stressor in the previous month than in the infant group (26%).
Infant victims were almost equally distributed between male and female genders; however, young child and child victims were more likely to be male (71% and 62% respectively).
Implications for Program Leaders
Encourage collaboration between DoD programs and outside agencies to identify military familes in need of child abuse intervention services
Provide programs for military families experiencing a life stressor that focus on positive coping skills and abuse prevention
Disseminate information to military families about available support services for military families experiencing abuse
Implications for Policy Makers
Continue to support programs that identify and prevent child abuse in military families
Recommend partnerships among military and community based programs to promote information sharing and identify military families in need of abuse prevention services
Encourage the training of professionals on child abuse risk factors in military families
Methods
Victim categories were defined as infant (24 hours to less than one year old), young child (ages one to four years), and child (ages 5 to 15 years).
Records from 32 young child and child cases of fatal child abuse were reviewed for several pre-defined factors.
Data from a previous study that similarly reviewed 31 cases of infant fatal child abuse was used for comparison.
Victim, perpetrator, and family factors and characteristics were described and compared across the victim groups.
Participants
The victims included 31 infants (mean age not provided), and 32 children (24 young children and 8 child victims; mean age at death = 3.9 years, SD=3.48 years). Mean age at death was not provided for child groups separately.
The gender of victims was 52% male and 48% female for infants, 71% male and 29% female for young children, and 62% male and 38% female for child victims.
Infant victims were 62% White and 38% Black, young child victims were 74% White and 26% Black, and child victims were 74% White and 13% Black. In addition, 13% of child victims were Latino
The majority of perpetrators were male in both the infant (84%) and child groups (75%). Perpetrator age was not included.
Limitations
Due to missing or incomplete records, sample sizes for some factors were small. This may limit the generalizability of the findings to larger populations.
The sample size for the child group is small compared to the infant and young child groups; this may limit the conclusions of comparisons between age groups.
There were no comparison groups of children with non-fatal abuse outcomes or non-abuse child fatalities, making it difficult to compare the characteristics of this sample to other populations.
Avenues for Future Research
Compare the characteristics of the current sample to cases of fatal child abuse in other military branches
Explore interventions that lead to non-fatal and improved outcomes in military families with previous substantiated instances of child abuse
Examine the factors involved in cases of fatal child abuse in military families compared to civilian families
Focus
Air Force
Target Population
Population Focus
Military Branch
Military Component
Abstract
Objective: The present study describes factors related to fatal abuse in three age groups in the United
States Air Force (USAF).
Method: Records from 32 substantiated cases of fatal child abuse in the USAF were independently
reviewed for 60 predefined factors.
Results: Males were over-represented in young child victims (between 1 year and 4 years of age) and child
victims (between 4 years and 15 years of age) but not in infant victims (between 24 hours and 1 year of
age). African-American infant victims and perpetrators were over-represented. Younger victims were more
likely to have been previously physically abused by the perpetrator. Perpetrators were predominantly male
and the biological fathers of the victims. Infant and young child perpetrators reported childhood abuse
histories, while child perpetrators reported the highest frequency of mental health contact. Victims’ families
reported significant life stressors. Families of young child victims were more likely divorced, separated, or
single. Incidents with infants and young children tended to occur without witnesses; incidents with child
victims tended to have the victim’s sibling(s) and/or mother present. Fatal incidents were more frequent on
the weekend, in the home, and initiated by some family disturbance.
Conclusions: Differences among groups in factors related to infant and child homicide across age
groups may assist in the development of more tailored abuse prevention efforts and may also guide
future investigations.
States Air Force (USAF).
Method: Records from 32 substantiated cases of fatal child abuse in the USAF were independently
reviewed for 60 predefined factors.
Results: Males were over-represented in young child victims (between 1 year and 4 years of age) and child
victims (between 4 years and 15 years of age) but not in infant victims (between 24 hours and 1 year of
age). African-American infant victims and perpetrators were over-represented. Younger victims were more
likely to have been previously physically abused by the perpetrator. Perpetrators were predominantly male
and the biological fathers of the victims. Infant and young child perpetrators reported childhood abuse
histories, while child perpetrators reported the highest frequency of mental health contact. Victims’ families
reported significant life stressors. Families of young child victims were more likely divorced, separated, or
single. Incidents with infants and young children tended to occur without witnesses; incidents with child
victims tended to have the victim’s sibling(s) and/or mother present. Fatal incidents were more frequent on
the weekend, in the home, and initiated by some family disturbance.
Conclusions: Differences among groups in factors related to infant and child homicide across age
groups may assist in the development of more tailored abuse prevention efforts and may also guide
future investigations.
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