On July 20, 2023, 8-year-old Fabian Rozario was shot and killed by his 47-year-old father, Joseph Rozario, inside their home on Heritage Oak Drive in Lower Makefield Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. The father then fatally shot himself. Police discovered both victims during a welfare check, finding the boy on the living room floor and the father on the couch, both with gunshot wounds to the head. A handgun was recovered at the scene. No one else was home at the time of the shooting. The family had no prior documented child welfare involvement, and at the time of the official report indication, no criminal charges had been filed due to the perpetrator's death.
Contexts/Conditions
Is there any mention of child drug ingestion or overdose?
Is there any mention of a drowning incident (either intentional or accidental)?
Is there any mention of a firearm incident?
The fatality report states the child "was found with a gunshot wound to the head" and "The child died as the result of the gunshot wound sustained." The news article further confirms: "police recovered a handgun."
Is there any mention of inappropriate supervision (e.g., child wandered off and drowned)?
Is there any mention of inflicted injury? (e.g. slapped, punched, kicked, choked)
The fatality report states the child "was found with a gunshot wound to the head" and that "the child's father shot and killed the child." The news article corroborates this: "Both were suffering from gunshot wounds to their heads." The child was shot, constituting an inflicted injury.
Is there any mention of malnutrition, starvation, or dehydration?
Is there any mention of medical neglect?
Is there any mention of a motor vehicle crash or incident?
Is there any mention of a murder-suicide incident?
The fatality report states "the child's father shot and killed the child and then committed suicide." The news article explicitly identifies this as a "murder-suicide": "Chief Coluzzi told NBC10 the cause of death was a murder-suicide."
Is there any mention of outdoor elements (including hot car deaths)?
Is there any mention of prenatal substance exposure (including fetal alcohol syndrome or neonatal abstinence syndrome)?
Is there any mention of sexual abuse?
Is there any specific mention of shaken baby or abusive head trauma?
Is there any mention of prolonged abuse or torture (including restraints, captivity)?
Is there any mention of an unsafe sleeping environment?
Individuals Involved
Was an adoptive parent or guardian involved in the death?
Was a biological father involved in the death?
The fatality report names "the victim child's father as the perpetrator" and states "the child's father shot and killed the child and then committed suicide." While the report does not explicitly specify "biological" father, in child welfare reporting the term "father" without qualification typically refers to the biological father. The news article also refers to the perpetrator as the child's father.
Was a biological mother involved in the death?
Was a day care worker, babysitter, or nanny involved in the death?
Was a female paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., girlfriend, stepmother)?
Was a foster parent involved in the death?
Was a male paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., boyfriend, stepfather)?
Was another adult relative involved in the death? (e.g., grandfather, aunt)
Was a sibling involved in the death?
Child Characteristics
Was the child adopted?
Was the child homeschooled (including "cyberschooling") or taken out of school?
Was the child in foster care at the time of the incident?
Was the child living with relatives at the time of the incident (but not parents)?
Is there any mention of a neurological developmental child disability? (e.g., autism, intellectual disability, nonverbal)
Is there any mention of a physical child disability? (e.g., feeding tube)
Is there any mention of prematurity or low birthweight?
Is there a history of child protection reports prior to death (for this child or siblings)?
Does the child have a history of foster care (but not in care at time of incident)?
Is there a history of a sibling death (separate incident from this death)?
Parent/Caregiver Factors
Was an adult charged or arrested for the child's death?
Is domestic violence by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is there any mention that the death occurred in a temporary shelter or while homeless?
Is an intellectual disability of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is the mental health of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is a history of arrests or criminal charges for the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is substance use by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Notable Details
The news article provides notable context: the community was already dealing with recent devastating flooding at the time of this incident. Chief Coluzzi is quoted saying, "we just had a lot of tragedy in Upper Makefield and Lower Makefield with the flooding and the children being lost in Upper Makefield and the loss of other lives and the property damage. So we're just coming off of that and now we have another tragedy that we're dealing with." Additionally, the fatality report notes that "The family had no prior documented child welfare involvement," which is relevant because it indicates no warning signs were available to child welfare systems. The perpetrator (father) died by suicide, and the fatality report notes "no criminal charges had been filed" at the time the report was indicated, which is explained by the perpetrator's death.
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