The CANDID count continues to be updated as new cases are identified in the media or in state-issued reports. States vary extensively in how often child fatalities are covered in the media, and whether the coverage is timely (at the time of death) or delayed (at the time of a criminal trial or conviction). In addition, media tend to report on the most egregious or clear-cut child maltreatment deaths that result in criminal charges. Thus, the CANDID count will miss most deaths that do not result in criminal charges, particularly in the vast majority of states that do not publish maltreatment fatality notifications or reports.
In contrast, the NCANDS count is based on data submitted by the states, which have different definitions of child maltreatment fatality, use different information sources, and vary in their likelihood of investigating or substantiating cases. Therefore, some deaths are excluded because a state uses a restrictive definition of child maltreatment fatalities, fails to consult all available information sources, or chooses not to investigate or substantiate all relevant deaths.
In summary, both the CANDID and NCANDS counts may significantly undercount the number of child maltreatment deaths. If you are aware of specific cases that are missing from the CANDID count or of additional data sources that could be used to update our counts, please contact us.
A child fatality notification refers to a public disclosure made by the state at or near the time of a child fatality, when required under state law. Because notifications are released shortly after the child’s death (before a thorough investigation), they typically include cursory information, such as date of death and child age.
Reports in this section contain individual-level summaries of child fatalities. Reports vary widely in the level of detail provided about the circumstances of each child’s death and their history. Reports also vary in the types of child fatalities that are reviewed. For example, some reports include only child fatalities with recent child protection involvement and other reviews focus specifically on cases involving egregious failures by the child protection system. The release of reviews may be withheld until any criminal investigation or proceeding is completed. Individual case reviews may be released by the state child protection agency, office of child advocate or ombudsman, or a child fatality review team. If you know of a recent state report containing individual case reviews that is missing, please contact us.
State statutes included in this section pertain to regulations and procedures governing the information that can, cannot, or must be released following a child’s death.