4 Hours / 4 CEs

On Demand | Self-Paced Professional Training

This on-demand professional training program on Child Murder by Parents is presented by Phillip Resnick, MD, in partnership with The American Academy of Forensic Psychology.

Andrea Yates and Susan Smith have increased public awareness about parents killing their children. Among depressed mothers with children younger than three years of age, 41% report thoughts of killing their children. The motives for killing newborns (neonaticide) are distinguished from killing children older than 24 hours (filicide). Child murder is divided into five categories: altruistic, acutely psychotic, unwanted child, child maltreatment, and spouse revenge. Dr. Resnick discusses the perpetrators’ and their spouses’ reactions to the homicides in this program. Videotaped examples of cases of altruistic filicide and neonaticide serve as a basis for the discussion. Finally, strategies for prevention are addressed.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this training, participants will be able to:

  • 1 Describe the differences between filicide and neonaticide
  • 2 Describe child-murders based on motive
  • 3 Describe the motives of mothers who kill their newborns
  • 4 Describe which child killers are most likely to succeed in an insanity defense

  • Intended Audience

    This training is designed for psychologists who specialize in forensic psychology, clinical psychology, or child protection and are involved in the assessment, management, or consultation of cases related to parental violence and child safety.

    • Psychologist
    • Mental Health Professional
    • Forensic Psychologist
    • Clinical Psychologist
    • Child Protection Specialist

  • Experience Level

    This training is appropriate for licensed and pre-licensed mental health professionals with varying levels of experience in forensic and clinical assessment related to filicide and neonaticide.

    Beginner:
    New to the topic; may be unfamiliar with distinctions between filicide and neonaticide, motives for child-murder, and relevant legal considerations.

    Intermediate:
    Some experience with forensic or clinical cases involving child harm; able to identify motives and discuss perpetrator and spouse reactions, but seeking deeper understanding of case examples and prevention strategies.

    Advanced:
    Extensive experience in forensic mental health; familiar with legal defenses and complex case presentations; seeking advanced discussion of prevention, nuanced motives, and implications for clinical practice.

  • Practice Setting

    Professionals in this field typically work in environments where multidisciplinary collaboration is essential, such as hospitals, mental health clinics, forensic units, child advocacy centers, or government agencies. Their work often involves conducting psychological assessments, providing expert consultation, and participating in case management or legal proceedings related to parental violence and child safety. These settings require sensitivity to trauma, familiarity with legal and ethical standards, and the ability to work with vulnerable populations, including children and families at risk.

    • Forensic psychiatric hospitals or secure units
    • Child protection agencies or social services departments
    • Family or juvenile courts
    • Outpatient mental health clinics specializing in trauma or family violence
    • Multidisciplinary child advocacy centers
    • University-based research or training centers focused on child maltreatment
    • Private practice with a focus on forensic or child protection evaluations

Presented By

Phillip Resnick, MD

Phillip J. Resnick is an internationally known forensic psychiatrist noted for his expertise in the assessment of violence risk and the detection of malingered mental illness. He is a Professor of Psychiatry and Director of the Division of Forensic Psychiatry at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland, Ohio. He is a past president of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law. He has provided consultation in many high profile cases including: Jeffrey Dahmer, Susan Smith, Timothy McVey, Andrea Yates, Scott Petersen, Brian Mitchell (kidnapper of Elizabeth Smart), Theodore Kaczynski (Unabomber) and Casey Anthony. He has written over 180 professional journal articles and book chapters.

View More Programs from this Presenter
Phillip Resnick, MD

Training Outline

Key topics covered in this training include:

  • Define filicide and neonaticide

  • Identify motives for child-murders

  • Discuss reactions from perpetrators & spouses

  • Discuss the relation between child murders and the insanity defense

We are proud to partner with

American Academy of Forensic Psychology (AAFP)

American Academy of Forensic Psychology (AAFP)

We are proud to partner with the American Academy of Forensic Psychology (AAFP) for this training. AAFP is a non-profit organization of board-certified forensic psychologists whose mission is to contribute to the development and maintenance of forensic psychology as a specialized field of study, research, and practice. The Academy does this by providing high-quality continuing education workshops, providing a forum for the exchange of scientific information among its members, and conferring awards upon outstanding students and practitioners in the field of forensic psychology.

Learn More About Our Partner

CE Sponsorship Information

Palo Alto University, Continuing & Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is approved by, recognized by, or maintains sponsorship provider status with the following boards and agencies. We maintain responsibility for all content in our CE/CPD programs. For more information, visit here. 

  1. American Psychological Association (APA): Approved sponsor of continuing education for psychologists.

  2. Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB): Approved continuing education provider (ACE program, Provider #1480), 11/22/2023–11/22/2026.

  3. Canadian Psychological Association (CPA): Approved to sponsor continuing education for psychologists.

  4. National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC): Approved Continuing Education Provider (ACEP No. 7190).



Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) maintains responsibility for this program and its content. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT), is approved by the Canadian Psychological Association to offer continuing education for psychologists. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT), SW CPE is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0356 and the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors. #MHC-0073. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6811. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. CONCEPT Professional Training, #1480, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. CONCEPT Professional Training maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period: 11/22/23-11/22/26. Social workers completing this course receive (clinical or social work ethics) continuing education credits.