Year Published: 2013

Authors: Shanaaz Mathews, Naeemah Abrahams, Rachel Jewkes, Lorna J Martin and Carl Lombard

Publisher: Bulletin of the World Health Organization

Suggested Citation: Mathews S, Abrahams N, Jewkes R, Martin LJ & Lombard C (2013) The Epidemiology of Child Homicides in South Africa. Bulletin of the World Health Organization, 91: 562-568.

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This cross-sectional mortuary-based study was conducted in a national sample of 38 medicolegal laboratories operating in 2009. Child homicide data were collected from mortuary files, autopsy reports and police interviews. Cause of death, evidence of abuse and neglect or of sexual assault, perpetrator characteristics and circumstances surrounding the death were investigated.