Filicide-Suicide: Case Series and Review of the Literature

Am J Forensic Med Pathol. 2015 Sep;36(3):210-5. doi: 10.1097/PAF.0000000000000173.

Abstract

Homicide-suicides or "dyadic deaths" refer to a homicide followed by the suicide of the perpetrator within 1 week of the homicide. A unique subset is filicide-suicide: a parent kills his/her child before committing suicide. Shooting is the preferred method for both the homicide and suicide. The perpetrator has depression in most cases.We present 3 cases of filicide-suicide. In case 1, a divorced mother with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder shot her son and herself. In case 2, a father shot his son and himself while involved in a child-custody dispute. In case 3, a father, experiencing a divorce and financial difficulties, and his daughter with Angelman syndrome succumbed to carbon monoxide poisoning.The forensic pathologist should be aware of the psychosocial dynamics that interplay in filicide-suicide. Diligent attention to a parent's life stressors may aid in determining risk factors for filicide-suicide.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Angelman Syndrome
  • Bipolar Disorder / psychology
  • Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
  • Child
  • Child Custody
  • Divorce / psychology
  • Fathers*
  • Female
  • Homicide*
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Mothers*
  • Schizophrenic Psychology
  • Suicide*