Social class and violent child death: An analysis of fatal nonaccidental injury,murder, and fatal child neglect

A total population study to analyse socio-economic status (SES) concomitants of violent and nonaccidental deaths involving children in Queensland, Australia is reported. Cases were traced from coronial files of the Institute of Forensic Pathology, Queensland. All children dying of nonaccidental injuries, neglect, and murder were included. Children were excluded where death was part of the neonaticide syndrome of pregnancy-parturition-concealment. Socioeconomic status scores were assigned to each case using the Congalton four point scale of occupational status. Of the 43 children in the study, 58% were girls. The age of greatest risk of death was in the 1st year of life. A second modal age at 3 years was evident for children who were murdered. Differences in age distribution and socioeconomic status were evident between children who died as a result of nonaccidental injury (N.A.I.), and those who were frankly murdered. All of the children who died as a result of N.A.I. were from lower socioeconomic groups. However, the socioeconomic status distribution for all violent deaths (N.A.I., murder and neglect) is not unlike the socioeconomic status distribution for the general population.