Table 1.
Relationships of perpetrators to autistic child homicide victims by sex as reported in US news media, January 2000 ─ December 2019
| Relationship to victim | Victims | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Male n (%) | Female n (%) | Total n (%) | |
|
| |||
| Parent | 29 (61.7) | 4 (80.0) | 33 (63.5) |
| Mother/stepmother | 12 (25.5) | 3 (60.0) | 15 (28.9) |
| Father/stepfather | 13 (27.7) | 0 (0.0) | 13 (25.0) |
| Both mother and father | 1 (2.1) | 1 (20.0) | 2 (3.8) |
| Grandparent | 3 (6.4) | 0 (0.0) | 3 (5.8) |
| Brother/Stepbrother | 4 (8.5) | 0 (0.0) | 4 (7.7) |
| Guardian/Caregiver a | 6 (12.8) | 1 (20.0) | 7 (13.5) |
| Law enforcement personnel | 2 (4.2) | 0 (0.0) | 2 (3.8) |
| Other unrelated b | 6 (12.8) | 0 (0.0) | 6 (11.5) |
| Total | 47 (100.0) | 5 (100.0) | 52 (100.0) |
a
Including victim’s relatives, legal guardians and caregivers.
b
Including pastors, physicians, or individuals who are not related to the victim.