Report on Child Fatalities

The Travis County Child Fatality Review Team, a multidisciplinary group of community professionals, recently released its sixth annual report, covering child deaths in the county for the year 2001. The results indicate some improvement and some disappointments in key areas from the previous year. In 2001, there were 124 child fatalities in Travis County, virtually the same number as in 2000. While 73% of these deaths were a result of natural causes (many very shortly after birth), 22 children died from accidental causes. This is a significant 21% decline from 2000, but an increase from 1999, when there were 17 accidental child deaths.

Motor vehicle accidents accounted for over half of child fatalities and thus remain the single most common cause of premature deaths. Twelve children died in MVAs in 2001, nine boys and three girls, and eight of those fatalities were teens. More troubling, all of the deaths involving teens occurred after dark. In nine of the 12 MVA fatalities, seatbelts were not used, and alcohol was known to be a factor in four of the deaths. "It is important to bring these deaths to the public's attention because they are truly preventable," said Travis County Assistant District Attorney Laru Woody. "We need to take care that our children drive responsibly, and as a community, we need to be careful drivers ourselves and set a good example by driving in a safe manner at all times."

Four children died from asphyxiation, and three of these deaths resulted from overlays (a sleeping parent rolling on top of a small child). There were five drownings, up from four the year before. "So many of these accidents overall [are] preventable by caretakers," said Sandra Martin, the executive director of the Travis County Children's Advocacy Center. "Parents live under the illusion that this can't happen to my child -- until it happens to them. Parents must take an active role in being responsible for the care of their children."

Six child deaths in 2001 were the result of homicides -- half from parental abuse, half committed by other children. Counting 18- and 19-year-olds as children, there were four suicides -- all died from gunshot wounds.