Total Fatalities

The graph below provides information regarding child fatalities that were reported to the Los Angeles County Child Protection Hotline (CPH)* from January 1, 2015 to June 30, 2024. The graph includes 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 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 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 child 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 rate of child fatalities per 100,000 children among Los Angeles County’s total population.