Journal of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology

The future of a country depends on the status of its children. Although substantial global progress has been made in reducing child mortality, there is widespread disparities among mortality rates and causes of death in children among various geographical regions. The mortality statistics in cases of death of children due to unnatural mechanisms is of utmost importance because it directly reflects the status of a country’s development.

The present study is an attempt to review the various autopsy findings to decide the cause of death with special emphasis on the unnatural mechanisms of death and explore and analyse the relation between paediatric deaths and various demographic indicators like age, sex, type of family, education status of mother and socioeconomic status of family.

This prospective observational study was of a duration of two years in which 202 cases of unnatural paediatric deaths received for post-mortem examination were studied.

It was observed that unnatural deaths were the most common cause of paediatric mortality overall. Mortality was more in male children and in the age group of one to five years. Further, more deaths were observed in children from the upper lower class, nuclear families and in most cases the mother was uneducated or had only a minimal education.

Awareness on child safety measures, strengthening the health care system and knowledge of legislation is required in the public to reduce child mortality.