ABSTRACT
Infanticide is the deliberate killing of unwanted infants by parents, other family members, or even by the state. This is done either as a means of birth control for the nuclear family or for the family to conform to societal norms. For instance, modern China has stringent birth control laws that limit most families to one child. Since males are more desirable in rural society, families frequently drown their newborn infant daughters in order to have another chance at having a son. This is called colloquially “giving the baby a bath.” In ancient Sparta, governmental officials examined each child and decided whether it was fit enough to live and become a Spartan. If not, they exposed it, that is, they left it outside, in an isolated area, usually to die. The Roman Law of the Twelve Tables (451 BC) stated that a father should quickly kill a deformed infant.
