Data on child abuse deaths among Illinois children 10 and under available in new report

• Children 3 and under face the highest risk of fatal child abuse, data found
• Nearly half of victims with known suspects were harmed by a biological parent
• Deaths occur in census tracts of all income levels but are mostly concentrated in higher poverty areas
• Researcher: ‘Nobody wants to hear this type of information, but we need to take a hard look so we can do better’ 

CHICAGO --- Northwestern University researchers have released a data report that examines fatal child abuse cases between 2015 and 2022 among young children aged 10 and under in Illinois.

The data in the Illinois Child Abuse Fatalities Report (2015–2022) describes patterns by age, manner of death and injury location. The intent is to inform child safety and prevention efforts, with careful attention to sensitive and responsible framing. During that timeframe, 121 fatalities met the case definition used for this report, which excluded cases involving neglect and inadequate supervision, such as unsupervised drownings.

“Nobody wants to hear this type of information, but we need to take a hard look so we can do better,” said Maryann Mason, professor of emergency medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. “By examining these data, we honor the lives of the children who didn’t have a voice and who didn’t get to grow up, because hopefully we can stop the things happening to others.”

Children under age 3 face highest risk of child abuse death

The data report shows children under 3 years old are at significantly higher risk of fatal abuse. Behaviors typical for this age (e.g. crying, fussiness) can be challenging for caregivers, Mason said.

“Some parents have expectations for their child that simply don’t align with the child’s capabilities,” Mason said. “For example, a child being beaten to death for wetting their pants at age 2. Or a caregiver insisting that a two-week-old had rolled over — something that isn’t physically possible. These misunderstandings can escalate into violence.”

Other key findings:

• More than half (60.4%) of all child abuse deaths included in the study involved children three years and younger
• Investigators classified more than 96% of fatalities as homicides
• Blunt force injuries accounted for nearly half of fatalities, with additional deaths involving multiple injuries, gunshot wounds, suffocation, burns or shaking
• Only a small percentage (8.3%) of child victims had a previous Child Protective Services report before the fatal incident
• When circumstances were documented, crying or fussiness was the most (45.4%) reported situation preceding the fatal injury
• Child abuse deaths occurred in census tracts of all income levels. The highest concentration of deaths was in tracts with more than 26.3% of households with children under 18 years of age living in poverty
• Nearly one-third (28.2%) of victims were not in the care of their parents at the time of their injury. These individuals include parents, romantic partners, cousins, aunts, grandparents and babysitters. In 9 of the 26 cases in which victims were in care of others, parents were reported to be working at the time their child was in care

Data highlights need for stronger support for families

The findings underscore the need for increased support for Illinois families with young children, including accessible childcare options, Mason said. Many incidents occurred outside a child’s primary home. In some cases, parents who lacked childcare left children with informal or unstable caregivers, she said.

“There’s a fair amount of disruption or unsettledness among these families,” Mason said. “The data points to the importance of daycare access, parenting education about developmental expectations and consistent health care visits, which can help identify early warning signs like unexplained bruises, fractures or head injuries.”

Where the data comes from, who can use it

The data come from the Illinois Violent Death Reporting System (IVDRS), operated by Northwestern University in partnership with the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH). An interactive dashboard hosted on the IDPH website allows journalists, policymakers and community organizations to explore descriptive patterns in violent deaths across Illinois.

“Let’s say someone wants to know, among the kids who died, what was the most frequent relationship between the child and the abuser? Or what was the average age of children? At the time of their death, did they have a disability?” Mason said.

Consultation with DCFS

During development, researchers consulted the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) on what data they would find useful in a report. As a result, the report includes breakdowns by geographic region and income level, along with perpetrator information when available.

“A lot of people have a bias toward thinking this is a big-city Chicago problem, but our data shows this happens throughout the state,” Mason said. “And while it has an association with poverty, it’s not only associated with the poorest areas of the state. Sometimes this happens in middle-class homes and communities.”

Funding for this work is provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the IDPH. The findings, conclusions and recommendations expressed in this report are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the funders.