Table 1.9
Child and youth victims of family-related and non-family homicide, by age group of victim and type of motive, Canada, 2007 to 2017

Table 1.9
Child and youth victims of family-related and non-family homicide, by age group of victim and type of motive, Canada, 2007 to 2017
Table summary
This table displays the results of Child and youth victims of family-related and non-family homicide. The information is grouped by Type of motive (appearing as row headers), Age group of victim, Total victims, 5 years and younger, 6 to 11 years, 12 to 14 years and 15 to 17 years, calculated using number and percent units of measure (appearing as column headers).
Type of motive Age group of victim Total victims
5 years and younger 6 to 11 years 12 to 14 years 15 to 17 years
number percent number percent number percent number percent number percent
Family-related homicide
Frustration, anger or despair 114 72 33 63 10 50 12 31 169 63
Argument or quarrel 4 3 5 10 4 20 9 23 22 8
ConcealmentTable 1.9 Note 1 13 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 13 5
Jealousy 7 4 4 8 1 5 3 8 15 6
Revenge 4 3 2 4 1 5 1 3 8 3
OtherTable 1.9 Note 2 3 2 1 2 2 10 9 23 15 6
No apparent motiveTable 1.9 Note 3 14 9 7 13 2 10 5 13 28 10
Unknown 9 Note ...: not applicable 7 Note ...: not applicable 1 Note ...: not applicable 1 Note ...: not applicable 18 Note ...: not applicable
Total 168 100 59 100 21 100 40 100 288 100
Non-family homicide
Frustration, anger or despair 17 65 0 0 6 21 15 11 38 19
Argument or quarrel 0 0 1 9 2 7 50 36 53 26
ConcealmentTable 1.9 Note 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Jealousy 1 4 0 0 3 11 7 5 11 5
Revenge 1 4 1 9 2 7 10 7 14 7
OtherTable 1.9 Note 2 2 8 6 55 8 29 37 27 53 26
No apparent motiveTable 1.9 Note 3 5 19 3 27 7 25 19 14 34 17
Unknown 3 Note ...: not applicable 0 Note ...: not applicable 0 Note ...: not applicable 10 Note ...: not applicable 13 Note ...: not applicable
Total 29 100 11 100 28 100 148 100 216 100
... not applicable
Note 1

Includes homicides committed to hide evidence of something (e.g., a pregnancy or birth of a child) or evidence of another criminal offence. This is typically the most common motive for infanticides.

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Note 2

Includes financial gain, mercy killing and sexual violence.

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Note 3

Includes mental illness and dementia.

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Note: In 35% of incidents of family-related homicide against children and youth where a single victim and a single accused person were involved, police determined that a history of family violence preceded the homicide. Family-related homicide refers to homicides committed by parents (biological, step, adopted and foster), siblings (biological, step, half, adopted and foster), extended family members (e.g., grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins and in-laws) and spouses (legally married, separated, divorced and common-law). Victims refer to those aged 17 years and younger. Excludes victims of unsolved homicides, and victims where the sex or the age was unknown or where the accused-victim relationship was unknown. Percentages have been calculated excluding unknown motives. Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding.
Source: Statistics Canada, Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics, Homicide Survey.
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