Incubator escapee wiki

Child murder

Article Discussion

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Pedicide, also known as child murder, child manslaughter or child homicide, is the homicide of an individual who is a minor. In many legal jurisdictions, it is considered an aggravated form of homicide. The age of the victim may constitute an aggravated factor for homicide offenses, or child murder may be a stand-alone criminal offense.

Punishment by jurisdictionEdit

File:Albert Fish 1903 crop.jpg
Albert Fish, a serial killer known for committing pedicides from the 1920s until his arrest in 1932.

United StatesEdit

In 2008, there were 1,494 pedicides in the United States. Of those killed, 1,035 were male and 452 were female.<ref>United States Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation. (2009). Crime in the United States: Uniform Crime Report, 2008. Retrieved from {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

About half of the states that maintain the death penalty have included pedicide to their list of aggravating factors that may make a murder punishable by death. The victim's age under which the crime is a capital crime varies between states. The ages are set between 10 and 17, with 12 being the most common age.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Child manslaughter can result in an aggravated charge in some jurisdictions such as in the State of Florida.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

United KingdomEdit

Any murder in the United Kingdom carries a mandatory life sentence. In England and Wales, pedicides involving sexual or sadistic conduct or abduction of the victim can result in a whole life order (i.e. life imprisonment without the possibility of parole) being imposed where the offender is at least 21 years of age. Sentencing guidelines state that where the offender is under 21, the starting point is a minimum term of 30 years.Template:Citation needed

By other childrenEdit

File:William York killing Susan Matthew.JPG
18th century illustration of William York (aged 10) murdering Susan Matthew (aged 5) on 13 May 1748, from The Newgate Calendar

Template:See also In most countries, there are very few cases where children are killed by other children. According to the U.S. Department of Justice statistics for 1996,Template:Citation needed one in five pedicides were committed by other children. Several pedicides have gained prominent media exposure. One was the killing on 12 February 1993 of the 2-year-old boy James Bulger by Robert Thompson and Jon Venables who were both 10-years-old in Bootle, Merseyside, England. He was beaten and stoned before his corpse was left on train tracks in order to give the impression that a train had hit him. Bulger's killers became the youngest convicted murderers in the modern history of the United Kingdom. Another notable case in the UK occurred in 1968 in Newcastle upon Tyne, when 10-year-old Mary Bell was convicted of manslaughter due to diminished responsibility in the deaths of toddlers Martin Brown and Brian Howe. She was released in 1980 at the age of 23.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 1998, 8-year-old Madelyn Clifton was killed by 14-year-old Josh Phillips.Template:Citation needed

By medical professionalsEdit

Children, especially infants, have been killed on purpose by medical professionals. Katherine Ramsland, an expert in serial killers, believes predatory offenders may view healthcare agencies as "places of trust" where they have advantages. While other killers may decide to reduce the workload, or set someone up out of spite, or get God complex and think they are helping their victims, or be seeking attention, self-empowerment, and thrill.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In one such case, neonatal nurse Lucy Letby was accused of killing at least 7 infants between June 2015 and 2016 at the Countess of Chester Hospital and attempting to kill a further 10 more.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Media coverageEdit

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In 1992, after the fatal shooting of 7-year-old Dantrell Davis as he left the Cabrini–Green public housing project for school, the Chicago Tribune put every pedicide on the front page. 62 pedicides were reported that year.Template:Citation needed

Multiple deaths in one incident, such as the 1999 Columbine High School massacre, 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting and the 1996 Dunblane massacre tend to gather the most media attention but are statistically scarce.Template:Citation needed

  • Police at Sandy Hook.PNG

    A photo of the police at the Sandy Hook Elementary School shortly after the Sandy Hook Elementary School Shooting Ended.

Genocide and child soldiersEdit

{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} The military use of children refers to children being placed in harm's way in military actions, in order to protect a location or provide propaganda.<ref name="Children at war">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="UNICEF-2007">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> This is sometimes referred to as child sacrifice, though not equivalent to the religious variety. It may also refer to the use of children as child soldiers or saboteurs.Template:Citation needed

Red Hand Day on February 12 is an annual commemoration day to draw public attention to the practice of using children as soldiers in wars and armed conflicts.Template:Citation needed

"Muti killings"Edit

Medicine murder, often referred to as muti killing, is a practice of human sacrifice and mutilation associated with traditional medicinal practices, such as Muti. Victims of muti killings are often children. Organs and/or body parts are usually taken while the child is still alive. An unknown child (referred to as Adam), whose decapitated torso was found in the River Thames in London in 2002 is believed to have been the victim of a muti killing.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Murdered children of royaltyEdit

File:Theodor Hildebrandt - The Murder of the Sons of Edward IV - Google Art Project.jpg
A painting from 1835 by Theodor Hildebrandt with the title The Murder of the Sons of Edward IV depicting Edward V of England and his brother Richard of York about to be killed
File:Macrino, aureo per diadoumeniano cesare, 217-18, 01.JPG
Diadumenian, killed at the age of nine
File:Enthauptung Konradins.jpg
Aged 16, Conradin was beheaded.
File:Jacques-Victor Henry Christophe (no source).jpg
Jacques-Victor Henry, Prince Royal of Haiti, bayoneted by revolutionaries at the age of 16

ReferencesEdit

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