Criteria For Child Fatality Review
Criteria for "Reviewable Deaths"
- Sudden, unexplained death, age <1 year (Autopsy mandated per state statute.)
- Unexplained/undetermined manner, age >1 year
- Possible malnutrition
- Possible inadequate supervision
- Injury not witnessed by person in charge at time of injury
- Suspicious/criminal activity
- Severe unexplained injury
- Prior calls to CA/N Hotline on decedent or other persons in the residence
- Decedent in custody (DSS, DMH, Juvenile, DYS, etc.)
- Possible malnutrition or delay in seeking medical care
- Inadequate care/neglect
- Possible suicide
- Firearm injury
- Confinement
- Drowning
- Suffocation/strangulation
- Poison/chemical/drug ingestion
- Pedestrian/bicycle/driveway injury
- Motor vehicle injury
- Suspected sexual assault
- Fire injury
- Other child deaths in family/household
- Autopsy by certified child-death pathologist
- Other suspicious findings (injuries such as electrocution, crush or fall)
- Panel discretion
- Animal-related death
The coroner/medical examiner along with the CFRP chairperson make a determination on which cases should be reviewed by the local panel, based upon the known circumstances at time of death. If the death involves any of the above listed criteria, the death is deemed reviewable, requiring CFRP Panel review. This is not to limit panels from reviewing any or all child deaths in their respective counties.
Additional factors that may contribute to the decision to review the case include:
- nature of death
- previous agency involvement
- insufficient information at initial review
- incompatibility of information regarding the death
- improvement in the recognition and prevention of child abuse
- recognition of a pattern of child abuse
- evaluation of system response