Minnesota Child Mortality Review: Men most likely to assault, kill infants

sabianmaggy

The study involved 71 reported cases of abuse.

​There's no delicate way to get around a new report from the Minnesota Department of Health. Babies in Minnesota who are shaken or beaten to death or near death are most often the victims of men.

And the Minnesota Child Mortality Review Report, covering the years 2005-2009, makes it pretty clear who these men are.

The panel looked at 71 reported cases in which children died or almost died, through abuse or neglect. Three quarters of the children were less than four years old, and most of them died of physical abuse at the hands of men living in the same home. A minority of babies died because of neglect at the hands of the mother.

The common thread among the men, be they father, step-father, adoptive father, or the mother's boyfriend: They couldn't cope with a baby's incessant feeding, diapering, and sleeping needs--and the crying that comes along with it. Left alone as a caregiver, they would become frustrated, then desperate, and strike.

Another common thread: Most of the victimized babies, 50 percent, were caucasian, while 28 percent were African American.

Here are some of the predictors that a baby may be in harm's way:

• The child is three years old or younger
• An unrelated adult lives in the child's home
• One or more adults in the home is unemployed
• There's a man providing child care when the mother is not home
• Parents or other adults at home have had prior run-ins with child protective services
• The baby's family has made frequent moves between counties or states
• A parent or caretaker has history of substance abuse
• A parent or caretaker has history of violence
• A parent or caretaker has mental health issues

Related: Download and read the full Minnesota Child Mortality Review Report.