Fatality Determinations

The charts below provide information regarding child fatalities that were reported to the Los Angeles County Child Protection Hotline (CPH)* from January 1, 2015 to June 30, 2024, that met WIC §10850.4 (a) and (b), meaning that they were determined to be the result of abuse and/or neglect**. These charts include data for fatalities with and without DCFS history***.

*The data does not include the fatalities reported to the CPH when the deceased child had an open case or referral in another County at the time of death.

**A fatality is confirmed to be the result of abuse and or neglect when any one of three agencies (DCFS, Law Enforcement, or Coroner) makes that determination. All fatalities that are confirmed to be the result of abuse and or neglect also meet the criteria for reasonable suspicion.

***A child is defined as having DCFS history if they or their siblings or half siblings, were previously referred to DCFS as a potential victim of abuse or neglect, even if that referral was closed prior to their death and even if the facts of the previous referral are completely unrelated to the circumstances that led to their death. In addition, if the family only had a referral that was evaluated out, that is still considered history.

The following table presents child fatalities that were confirmed due to abuse and/or neglect as an incident rate per 100,000 children among Los Angeles County’s total population. These rates are computed by dividing counts of children with total confirmed fatalities by the total child population (0-17 years) and then multiplying by 100,000. The data source for children’s population in Los Angeles County is the California Child Welfare Indicators Project website.

The graph below represents the rate of child fatalities that were confirmed due to abuse and/or neglect per 100,000 children among Los Angeles County’s total population.

The information depicted in blue and red pieces of the pie charts below includes all fatalities where there is reasonable suspicion or confirmed to be the result of abuse/neglect by a parent, caregiver, or third party, and includes both with and without DCFS history.

The horizontal bar graphs to the right side of each pie chart represent a further break down of fatalities that were confirmed to be the result of abuse/neglect by parent/caregiver and third party, with and without DCFS history.

2015 Fatality Determinations

2016 Fatality Determinations

2017 Fatality Determinations

2018 Fatality Determinations

2019 Fatality Determinations

2020 Fatality Determinations

2021 Fatality Determinations

2022 Fatality Determinations

2023 Fatality Determinations

2024 Fatality Determinations