Postneonatal mortality in children from abusing families.

The postneonatal death rate was studied for 332 infants from 160 families, ascertained through an abused proband. There were nine deaths compared with 2.9 expected from the legitimacy, social class, age, and parity distribution (p = 0.003). All but one of the babies died at home, and all were referred to a coroner or procurator fiscal. No adequate explanation of death could be found in four cases. Bonding problems probably existed in most of the nine families before death occurred.