Homicídios e Acidentes de Crianças e Adolescentes: Análise de 2.462 Necropsias Médico-Legais

Deaths of children and adolescents (CA) due to external causes are a major global public health problem. For a better epidemiological understanding of these deaths this study analyzed CA forensic reports of "accidents" and homicides victims in the 2006 to 2012 period. The murders comprised 65% of the 2,462 reports of under 18s studied. Penetrating trauma ("shot" and "stabbing") was more prevalent in homicides (93%) while non-penetrating trauma prevailed in "accidents" (99%) (p <0.05). The victims of "shots" were more frequent than those of "stabs" and an average of 4.8 entry wounds were observed by autopsy in those. The most common "accidents" were those of traffic and drownings. The weekend was the period with the highest number of necropsies of both homicides and "accidents" and the age group of 12 to 17 years concentrated the largest number of cases. The mean age was 10.6 years for "accidents" and 15.5 for those killed (p <0.05). The highest proportion of homicide deaths was in the 15 to 17 age group and the highest proportion of accidents between 6 and 8. The proportion of men and browns was significantly higher in those killed than in those who were injured. There was also a higher proportion of positive blood alcohol and toxicological results in the victims of homicide (p <0.05). These data confirm the high number of CA deaths due to homicides and "accidents" in our country and contribute, in delineating an epidemiological profile, to the targeting of intervention and prevention measures.