Over the 10-year period studied, 96 children under 15 years of age were killed in Sweden. The pattern of child homicide was mainly characterized by intrafamilial violence, especially in connection with the suicide of a parent-perpetrator. Extrafamilial homicides were rare & were only committed by male perpetrators. Cases of child abuse by a parent & cases of sexual abuse were infrequent. By psychiatric examination after the crime, only 10 of 47 perpetrators examined were found not mentally ill.