When Love turns Lethal! Maternal Filicide & Forensic Nurses

Shadows of Care: Maternal Filicide

People often ask me about the “dark side” of my clinical practice. As a forensic nurse, I navigate a world filled with truth and trauma, where the perpetrators and pathology of violent crimes are part of my daily reality. It’s akin to living out “Dateline” stories in real life—only here, the stakes are higher, and the emotional toll is deeper.

In forensic psychiatry, I have encountered patients who have committed heinous acts, often driven by severe mental illness or trauma. These experiences challenge our professional identity and push us to confront ethical dilemmas while maintaining empathy and clinical judgment. The stories I carry are not just about the crimes but also about resilience, harm reduction, and advocating for systemic change to prevent future tragedies. Hence, why my work now is primarily in survivor based care. Helping victims of violence toward victory, not vengeance.

Trauma-informed care is essential in this field. It’s about creating safety for both patients and providers, understanding the impact of trauma on behavior, and working collaboratively to empower recovery. Yet, this work comes at a cost—vicarious trauma and burnout are common among forensic nurses who repeatedly face the darkest corners of humanity.

Forensic nursing is not just about solving crimes; it’s about understanding the human condition, advocating for mental health resources, and striving to make a difference in a system that often fails those most vulnerable.

TRIGGER WARNING!

One of the most haunting truths in forensic psychiatry is that mothers—often seen as the ultimate protectors—can take the lives of their own children. This stark reality challenges deeply ingrained beliefs about maternal instincts, love, and care. Yet, as a forensic nurse, I have witnessed how severe mental illness, untreated trauma, and forensic pathology can tragically intersect to result in maternal filicide.

Understanding Maternal Filicide

Maternal filicide is defined as the act of a mother killing her child. While motives vary—from altruistic intentions to psychosis or neglect—the role of mental illness is often central. For example, I once evaluated a woman who contemplated filicide during a psychotic break caused by untreated postpartum psychosis. She believed she was "saving" her child from an imagined threat. The tragedy was not just in the act itself but in its preventability. With proper mental health intervention, this devastating outcome was avoided with immediate harm reduction, monitoring, surveillance, and appropriate medical-legal interventions.

The Forensic Nurse’s Role:

Forensic nurses play a critical role in understanding and addressing these cases. My approach involves:

Separating Emotion from Clinical Judgment:

   These cases are emotionally charged, but my responsibility is to remain objective and focus on understanding the psychological and situational factors at play.

Comprehensive Forensic Evaluation: 

   This includes assessing the mental state of the mother at the time of the crime, identifying risk factors, and determining treatment needs.

Advocacy for Maternal Mental Health: 

   Cases like this underscore the urgent need for systemic changes—better screening for postpartum disorders, early intervention programs, and robust support systems for struggling mothers.

The Preventable Tragedy:

The most unsettling aspect of maternal filicide is its preventability. Research shows that untreated psychiatric conditions like postpartum psychosis or depression are significant risk factors. Early detection and intervention can save lives—not just of children but also of mothers who may otherwise spiral into despair or delusion.

Call to Action:

Maternal filicide is not just a crime; it is a societal failure to address maternal mental health adequately. As forensic nurses, we must advocate for harm reduction strategies that include better education for healthcare providers, accessible mental health resources, and destigmatizing conversations around postpartum struggles.

By shedding light on these dark corners of motherhood, we can work toward a future where such tragedies are no longer inevitable but preventable.Please contact my office to NOURISH U! 479-321-4756 NP Clinic, Nikol Hamilton, DNP (c), MSN, APRN, PMHNP-BC, LNC, FCN