Child abuse and neglect fatalities

In 2016, a nationally estimated 1,750 children died as a result of child abuse and neglect. And because we do not have reliable data about the number of deaths from child maltreatment, the numbers are likely even higher.

The death of a child is all the more tragic when it could have been prevented. Child protection agencies play a critical role in the prevention of child abuse and neglect fatalities, but they cannot work alone. They share the responsibility for child safety with the multiple partners that touch the lives of vulnerable families. Collectively, an essential shift is needed to adopt a public health approach to child safety, predicated on prevention and community-level support to prevent crises before they occur. Partnerships among child protection and primary care physicians, law enforcement, and community-based agencies are key to this paradigm shift.