Fatal Child Maltreatment: The Social Correlates of Victims Known and Unknown to Child Welfare Services

Background and Purpose:

About 1,700-2,000 U.S. children die annually from maltreatment (U.S. DHHS, 2014). Our nation’s policies and programs have increasingly paid attention to maltreatment fatalities; 30-50% of victims are known to child protective services (CPS) prior to their death (Anderson et al., 1983; Beveridge, 1994; Damashek et al., 2014). Yet, no research to date has examined the differences between children who are known to CPS prior to death, versus those who are not. The current study examines the differences between these two populations using a large, national child welfare dataset.

Methods:

This study uses the 2013 National Child Abuse & Neglect Dataset to examine fatal child maltreatment. This dataset captures information from all children and families who encountered the CPS system in 2013. The sample begins with over 3 million cases, but is restricted to only fatality cases, n=1076. Cases were compared between those known and unknown to CPS prior to the year of the child’s death. Bivariate analyses were conducted on a number of socio-demographic characteristics and child, parent, and household risk factors. This analysis constitutes a first step toward the potential differences between these two populations of high-risk child victims.

Results:

Children who died from maltreatment and who were unknown to CPS prior to their death were younger by more than a year (F=10.21, p=.001) and more likely to live with both of their parents (Chi-sq=4.63, p=.031); in all other child domains, age, race, gender, and type of maltreatment, there were no differences between victims known or unknown to CPS prior to their death. With regard to parent/caretaker characteristics, children who died from maltreatment and who unknown to CPS prior to their death were less likely to have parents with a drug problem (Chi-sq=8.95, p=.003), less likely to have inadequate housing (Chi-sq=37.86, p<.001), financial problems (Chi-sq=37.91, p<.001), or to be receiving financial assistance (Chi-sq=9.01, p=.003). Those known to CPS prior to their death were more likely to be victimized by a parent (Chi-sq=7.04, p=.008). Parent and caretaker characteristics between these groups of children did not differ with regard to parent age, alcohol abuse, emotional problems, or domestic violence.

Conclusion and Implications:

The findings show that children who die of maltreatment who were not known to CPS services prior to their death, compared to children who were known, have fewer risk factors. They were younger and more likely to live with both of their parents at the time of their death. Parents of children unknown to CPS at the time of their death faced more risk factors in the areas of drug abuse, housing, and financial problems. The findings add to the growing literature on fatal child maltreatment and provide new information for those involved in all levels of children’s services and CPS policy and practice, from screening to investigations, regarding risk factors for maltreatment fatality.