When Caregivers Kill: Understanding Child Murder by Parents and Other Guardians

by Betty L. Alt, Sandra K. Wells

Overview

From mothers who kill their children in postpartum fugues, to fathers who murder their kids for revenge against an estranged wife, the stories in this book are chilling yet real, and bring home the message that children are vulnerable to violence even in the care of those who should love and protect them the most. Sadly, child murder by parents and caregivers happens more frequently than one might guess, and while each case is different, there are often warning signs that something might be amiss. Signs of physical abuse may precede the ultimate act of murder. A mother's mental state after the birth of a child may signal true distress and the potential for extreme actions. No one can predict with certainty when a parent or other caregiver may snap, but here Alt and Wells examine many cases of child murder to find out what they have in common, how we might prevent such violence, and what more we can do to protect children in potentially explosive situations.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781442200777
Publisher:	Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Publication date:	04/16/2010
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	160
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Betty L. Alt is author or co-author of twelve books including Policewomen: Life with the Badge, Following the Flag: Marriage and the Modern Military, and others. She is a lecturer in sociology and criminology at Colorado State University-Pueblo.

Sandra K. Wells is co-author with Betty Alt of Wicked Women, Fleecing Grandma and Grandpa, and other titles. She recently retired after twenty-nine years in law enforcement, fifteen as Chief Investigator with the Pueblo County, Colorado District Attorney's office. She lectures in criminology at Pueblo Community College.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Introduction Chapter 2 Reasons for Child Murder Chapter 3 Mothers Who Kill Chapter 4 Fathers Who Kill Chapter 5 Other Caretakers Who Kill Chapter 6 Child Murder in the Court System Chapter 7 Search for Prevention 8 Bibliography 9 Index

Editorial Reviews

It's an undeniably grisly topic, but authors Betty Alt and Sandra Wells handle it respectfully in their new book, "When Caregivers Kill: Understanding Child Murder by Parents and Other Guardians."...Filled with interesting information.

The Sunday Chieftain and Star-Journal

Alt and Wells make a solid contribution to the literature in this disturbing area, offering a fine balance between case details, theory, treatment, and the law. They competently capture the challenges and tensions involved in the issue of fatal caretakers, keeping compassion in perspective with genuine criminal behavior. Anyone who teaches on this subject or who deals with these offenders clinically or in court should have this book in their collection. It's a fine reference as well as a readable overview of what the most prominent experts and researchers have discovered.

Katherine Ramsland