Childhood Firearm Deaths During Intimate Partner Violence Incidents: 2004–2020

Data are from the NFR-CRS for children ages 0 to 18 years-old who died between 2004 and 2020 as reported from 37 states. NFR-CRS development details, variables, and limitations are described elsewhere.⁷ Childhood IPV incident deaths were included in this sample if the mechanism of death was identified as bodily force or weapon (eg, firearm) and the mechanism intention included IPV. We report descriptive analyses for the child’s demographics, mechanism of death, incident details, and firearm characteristics, as well as unadjusted logistic regressions for bivariate comparisons (ie, odds ratios) of firearm versus nonfirearm childhood IPV deaths. Recognizing race and ethnicity as social constructs and as reported on death certificates, categories were collapsed into white and non-Hispanic versus other, given low counts within other categories. Child maltreatment history, IPV victimization history, open child protective service (CPS) cases, and number of deaths during the incident were not included in bivariate analyses because of substantial missing data (>10%) but are described below. Variables with missing data are noted when applicable and reported percentages or unadjusted logistic regressions exclude missing data. This study was exempt per University of Michigan’s Institutional Review Board.

Four-hundred-and-sixty-four childhood deaths from bodily force or weapon were classified as an IPV incident in the NFR-CRS between 2004 and 2020 (Table 1). Within the sample, 43.6% (n = 337-of-464) and 37.1% (n = 170-of-464) of decedents had prior maltreatment or IPV victimization reports, respectively, and 8.0% had open CPS cases at time of death (n = 387-of-464). Firearms were the most common mechanism of death (64.7%). Other mechanisms of death included: bodily force (19.0%), knife or sharp object (17.2%), another weapon (7.1%) (eg, rope), and unknown (1.7%). For childhood firearm IPV incident deaths, handguns were used most often (72.3%), with the primary caregiver (58.3%) often cited as the firearm owner. There were higher overall number of deaths during an incident (n = 361-of-464) when a firearm was used (mean = 3.1) compared with all other mechanisms (mean = 1.8). In bivariate comparisons, children who died in an IPV incident with a firearm compared with another mechanism were more likely to be older, and the person responsible was more likely to be the parent (Table 1).

NFR-CRS data demonstrate that firearms are used in most childhood deaths related to IPV incidents. Further, when IPV incidents involve a firearm, more individuals are harmed and parents are often involved relative to incidents involving a different mechanism. Although these findings are supported by previous work,^2–4 they highlight that in addition to IPV interventions providing education on safe and healthy relationships, creating safe environments, and providing strategies to leave abusive relationships when safely feasible,⁸ that these interventions should include components of safe firearm storage counseling and/or discussions about how to limit firearm access (eg, Domestic Violence Restraining Orders). Further, with 8% of decedents in this sample known to have an open CPS case at the time of death and approximately 40% having reports of previous maltreatment and/or IPV victimization, suggests a potential for service agencies to intervene to prevent lethal escalation of family-based violence. Similar to other national reporting systems, limitations to this work largely stem from limitations inherent to the NFR-CRS, including variability in case review by examiners and data accuracy and completeness. To address these limitations, more standardized data collection practices should be implemented. Additionally, future analyses should examine case narratives to provide more context for factors contributing to childhood IPV incident deaths.

The authors gratefully acknowledge the states that participate in the NFR-CRS.

CPS

Child Protective Services

IPV

intimate partner violence

NFR-CRS

National Fatality Review-Case Reporting System