Neonaticide is a crime committed on a newborn below 24 hours of its age by its parent itself. It may be committed due to various Physical, Social, Economical, and most importantly, Psychological reasons. Its Forensic Examination and Forensic Significance helps to solve such crimes.
2. Introduction:-
• Neonate is a child within 24 hours of life.
• Killing a new-born child is called Neonaticide.
• Beyond that period, one year of age, it is termed infanticide.
• Most of the neonaticides and infanticides are committed by the mother, who may
be an unmarried woman, widow, or divorcee.
• Female new-borns are also killed sometimes.
• The majority of neonaticides occur within several hours of birth and are a
response to unwanted pregnancies and deliveries.
3. Characteristics of mother of neonates:-
Physical characteristics:-
• Demographics
• Age
• Ethnicity
Social relationships:-
• Family and origin
• Sexual partners
Neonate found dead in
cloth bag.
4. Psychological and emotional characteristics:-
• Emotional immaturity
• Mental illness
• Denial of pregnancy
• Labour and delivery
5. Examination of the foetus:-
• Post-mortem changes
• Signs of maceration
• Umbilical cord and placental examination
• Length of foetus
• Scalp hair of foetus
• Eyebrows and eyelashes
• Fingernails and toenails.
Signs on neck of neonate.
6. External signs of live birth:-
• Hydrostatic test
• Presence of milk/food
• Survival symptoms
7. • Cause of death
• Time of death
• Battered baby
• Shaken-baby syndrome
8. Legal aspects of neonaticides:-
• Section 315 in The Indian Penal Code, 1860
315. Act done with intent to prevent child being born alive or to cause it to die after birth.
• Section 316 in The Indian Penal Code, 1860
316. Causing death of quick unborn child by act amounting to culpable homicide.
• Section 317 in The Indian Penal Code, 1860
317. Exposure and abandonment of child under twelve years, by parent or person having care of
it.
• Section 318 in The Indian Penal Code, 1860
318. Concealment of birth by secret disposal of dead body.
9. Reference:-
1)Forensic medicine for the police - Umadethan
2) Encyclopedia of forensic science - Sieggal and saukko
3) Encyclopedia of forensic and legal medicine -Payne, James, Byard, Corey, Henderson
4) NEONATICIDE: Clinical and Psychodynamic Considerations by Morris Brozoosk», M.D. and Harvey Falit) M.D.
5) DISCARDED INFANTS AND NEONATICIDE: A REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE
A service of the Children’s Bureau
National Abandoned Infants Assistance Resource Center
University of California at Berkeley —– SEPTEMBER 2004 —–
6) J Indian Acad Forensic Med. October- December 2011, Vol. 33, No. 4 ISSN Case Report, Female Infanticide by *S. Praveen
7) A Systematic Investigation of 16 Cases of Neonaticide by Margaret G. Spinelli, M.D.
8) Neonaticide, Infanticide, and Filicide: A Review of the Literature by Steven E. Pitt, DO and Erin M. Bale, BA
