Table 1.10
Child and youth victims of family-related and non-family homicide, by age group of victim and type of motive, Canada, 2008 to 2018


Table 1.10
Child and youth victims of family-related and non-family homicide, by age group of victim and type of motive, Canada, 2008 to 2018
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 105 69 34 62 11 52 13 34 163 61
Argument or quarrel 4 3 5 9 4 19 9 24 22 8
ConcealmentTable 1.10 Note 1 14 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 14 5
Jealousy 6 4 4 7 1 5 2 5 13 5
Revenge 5 3 3 5 1 5 1 3 10 4
OtherTable 1.10 Note 2 3 2 1 2 2 10 9 24 15 6
No apparent motiveTable 1.10 Note 3 15 10 8 15 2 10 4 11 29 11
Unknown 11 Note ...: not applicable 6 Note ...: not applicable 1 Note ...: not applicable 1 Note ...: not applicable 19 Note ...: not applicable
Total 163 100 61 100 22 100 39 100 285 100
Non-family homicide
Frustration, anger or despair 16 70 0 0 6 23 13 10 35 18
Argument or quarrel 0 0 0 0 1 4 47 35 48 25
ConcealmentTable 1.10 Note 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Jealousy 0 0 0 0 3 12 6 4 9 5
Revenge 1 4 1 13 2 8 10 7 14 7
OtherTable 1.10 Note 2 2 9 6 75 7 27 39 29 54 28
No apparent motiveTable 1.10 Note 3 4 17 1 13 7 27 21 15 33 17
Unknown 3 Note ...: not applicable 1 Note ...: not applicable 0 Note ...: not applicable 11 Note ...: not applicable 15 Note ...: not applicable
Total 26 100 9 100 26 100 147 100 208 100
... 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 34% 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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