OBJECTIVE: To analyze and summarize the characteristics of the death cases of the abandoned babies in Shanghai, and to explore the main points and features in forensic investigation. METHODS: Twenty-seven death cases of the abandoned babies were selected from 2007 to 2011 in the Institute of Forensic Science of Shanghai Public Security Bureau. The cases were retrospectively analyzed in the respects of scene of abandonment, cause of death and manner of death, etc. RESULTS: Among the death cases of the abandoned babies in Shanghai, most of the infants were alive with young unmarried mothers. The main cause of death was mechanical asphyxia, and homicide occurred more commonly. CONCLUSION It is significantly difficult to determine the cause and manner of death in such cases, needing to be a comprehensive analysis on the case background, the investigation of scene and the examination of injury, etc.
Asphyxia/etiology* ; Autopsy ; Cause of Death ; Child, Abandoned/statistics & numerical data* ; China/epidemiology* ; Female ; Forensic Pathology ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Infanticide ; Male ; Retrospective Studies

INTRODUCTIONThis study aimed to describe the demographic, social, developmental and behavioural profile of children hospitalised for alleged child maltreatment syndrome (CMS).

METHODSThis study was a retrospective review of the consecutive inpatient records of children (0-16 years) admitted to the National University Hospital, Singapore, for alleged CMS over a three-year period. Descriptive data on the demographic characteristics, alleged maltreatment, medical and developmental histories, and family background of these children were collected and analysed. Chi-square statistics were used to test whether family factors were associated with the type of maltreatment and the presence of developmental disorders.

RESULTSA total of 89 children, who accounted for 90 admission cases, were studied. Physical abuse (70.0%) was the most common, followed by neglect (11.1%) and sexual abuse (7.8%). Child protection services had already been involved in 29.2% of the cases prior to the child's admission. Children who were victims of abuse were more likely to come from homes with a prior history of domestic violence (p = 0.028). Financial difficulty was found to be a risk factor for neglect (p = 0.005). Among the 89 children, 15.7% were found to have developmental disorders and 10.1% had mental health diagnoses. Children who had developmental disorders were more likely to have a parent with a mental health disorder (p = 0.002).

CONCLUSIONA sizeable proportion of the children admitted for alleged CMS had developmental or behavioural disorders. Clinicians have a role in ensuring that these children have appropriate follow-up plans. Children from high-risk families should be screened for maltreatment.

Adolescent ; Child ; Child Abuse ; statistics & numerical data ; Child, Abandoned ; statistics & numerical data ; Child, Institutionalized ; statistics & numerical data ; Child, Orphaned ; statistics & numerical data ; Child, Preschool ; Developmental Disabilities ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Inpatients ; statistics & numerical data ; Male ; Poverty ; Prevalence ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Singapore ; epidemiology