ABSTRACT
Newborns, infants, toddlers, younger children and adolescents have their own unique problems, such as stillbirth and sudden infant death syndrome, which are different from those of fully developed adults. They may also be dependent on others, have a range of vulnerabilities and be at risk of abuse, whether emotional, physical or sexual. If death occurs more than a couple of days before birth, the fetus is commonly macerated because of the effects of early decomposition combined with exposure to fluid. If live-born, no charge of infanticide can be brought in English law unless a wilful act of omission or commission can be proved to have caused the death. Omission means the deliberate failure to provide normal care at birth, such as tying and cutting the cord, clearing the air passages of mucus and keeping the baby warm and fed. The reported figures for unexplained deaths in England & Wales represent infant deaths that occurred in the calendar year referred to.
