.
Feedback

Murder in Mamaroneck: Why Do Mothers Kill Their Children

Reasoning behind and explaining why mothers end up killing their children. Focusing on specific common motives such as: Altruism, Acute Psychosis, Fatal Battering, Unwanted Child, Spousal Revenge.

The village of Mamaroneck seems like the quintessential Hudson Valley hamlet. Born a farm town, Mamaroneck spent its juvenile years as a popular summer playground for the city’s mid-19th century wealthy before maturing into its current incarnation as a bedroom community for (often still well-heeled) Manhattanites.

If anything about Mamaroneck stands out for residents of the Hudson Valley, it’s probably seaside estates in exclusive gated communities, pleasure boating in the Sound or perhaps the US Open stopover in 2006. As such, when a semi-conscious Manuela Maria Morgado was discovered by police cradling the body of the son she’d allegedly suffocated with helium, inhabitants of Mamaroneck were struck with a brand of shock that is becoming disturbingly common.

It must be a comment on something, though I’m not sure what, that the details of the case are familiar to the point of near-explanation—a financially-struggling mother involved in a tough custody battle (allegedly) kills her own child before attempting to kill herself with an overdose of pills. The question is: How could any parent do something that’s not only societally repugnant but so incredibly contrary to the most absolutely fundamental drives of maternal protection and biological perpetuation?

Unfortunately, abhorrent and bewildering as it seems, parents (although mothers do so more often than fathers) killing their children is not the anomalous horror it should be. In fact, if a severely depressed mother with a young child (or children) attempts suicide there is a five percent chance she will attempt to end the life or lives of her progeny as well. Dr. Phillip Resnick, director of forensic psychiatry at Case Western Reserve University and an expert in maternal filicide (who testified for the defense at Andrea Yeats’ trial and dozens like it), cites the five common motives he’s encountered in these cases.

  • Altruism” In the “altruistic” killing the mother is convinced that the child would suffer less if killed and/or to save the child from some approaching or seemingly inevitable punishment or consequence. A very common example of this is a mother convinced that the child is acting in a manner that would damn them and that killing the child will save them from hell. A fervent belief in an afterlife makes the murder of a child by a disturbed mother considerably more likely.
  • Acute Psychosis The acutely psychotic mother kills in the service of a delusion (Yeats again). Again, religious panic one of the most common manifestations of that psychosis. Concern that the child is either hell-bound because of wicked behavior or possessed are the predominate justifications.
  • Fatal Battering The fatal beating of a child by the mother (or father in this case) is generally accidental. A parent shook the child, threw them into something, etc., in an attempt at discipline gone wrong.
  • Unwanted Child Killing Unsettling as it, people are statistically considerably more likely to be killed the first day of their life than any other. Generally a woman who has given birth to a child they don’t want and, unsure what to do, either actively kill the unwanted child or the infant dies after being abandoned somewhere.
  • Spousal Revenge The most common classes of spousal revenge killings are after an infidelity and during a divorce/custody battle.

If Manuela Maria Morgado did suffocate her child with helium before her attempted overdose, she almost certainly did so as a means of punishing her ex. (Though there was probably an element of altruistic killing as well-Morgado not wanting her child to have to deal with her death. As Yeats’ inclusion in two of the categories suggests, these aren’t absolutely definitive and there is crossover.)

So what’s to be done about this disturbing phenomenon? Like so many unpredictable, emotionally-intense crimes, those left in their wake are shocked, having had no conception of the mother’s distress or child’s danger.

Generally, be aware of the emotional state of friends going through taxing situations and keeps the line of communication open with them. Let them know you’re there to talk to. Nationally, access to psychiatric care needs to be improved, as does awareness of mental illness. Including frank discussion of psychological distress and a de-stigmatizing of seeking help for psychiatric complaints.

Jeff Harper is an avid blogger who loves all things high-tech. When he’s not glued to his tablet in the corner of a coffee shop, he can be found roaming the halls looking for more coffee and occasionally working for NewYork.Newsday.com.

Blaue Vogel October 16, 2012 at 01:04 pm
Over one million abortions a year in the US.
Why do mothers kill their children?
Mike October 16, 2012 at 01:07 pm
Why did Sen. Obama (Illinois state senate) vote against legislation that would have permitted medical care for babies who survived a botched abortion.
J H October 16, 2012 at 01:15 pm
Those two sentences have nothing to do with one another. This article is about a mother who committed murder, and has nothing to do with abortion. Those trying to link the two completely unrelated words are only perpetuating the disagreements. If you don't like abortion, don't have one. End of story.
tammy October 16, 2012 at 05:57 pm
If you, for religious reasons believe life begins at conception, that is your right, but don't force your religion on others. Facts tell us the difference between a zygote and a baby. Folks need to remember that 91% of all abortions are performed in the first trimester, and 9% are in the second. A very minute amount occur in the final trimester. And of those, it isn't because the woman decided to 'kill her baby' (that is a disgusting thought); it is usually when the mother's life is in danger. Personally, I'd say, let me die trying to have my baby. But I should make that choice; not the government.
Mike, Obama has been clear on why he voted against the bill. he said the bill would undermine Roe v Wade by defining any fetus as a human with human rights. Obama did support a federal bill that provided the same protection viable fetuses while also including protections for Roe v Wade : OBAMA: I have said repeatedly that I would have been completely in, fully in support of the federal bill that everybody supported – which was to say – that you should provide assistance to any infant that was born – even if it was as a consequence of an induced abortion. That was not the bill that was presented at the state level. What that bill also was doing was trying to undermine Roe vs. Wade.
Blaue Vogel October 16, 2012 at 09:21 pm
Abortion is legalized murder. Period.
Aidan October 16, 2012 at 10:08 pm
Right.
Stefani Kim (Editor) October 16, 2012 at 10:25 pm
Hi,
Let's stay on topic—the article has nothing to do with abortion. Best, Stefani
Conrad Heyer October 16, 2012 at 10:54 pm
The title of the article is "Why do mothers kill their children". Anti-choice advocates argue that abortion creates a "culture of death". Even though I don't agree with that theory I don't think that it is fair to prohibit people from bringing abortion into this discussion. I regularly see comment sections of the Patch regularly devolve into discussions unassociated with the subject of the article.without being scolded. Readers should be allowed to comment as they please as long a they don't violate the terms of service, which they haven't done here.
MitchP October 16, 2012 at 11:09 pm
No one is being censored. And this article has nothing to do with abortion.
Blaue Vogel October 16, 2012 at 11:11 pm
Yes, let's stay on topic. What causes mothers to murder ?
It's a disposable society, with no respect/defense for the weakest and most vulnerable, in the place where they're supposed to be the most safe. Do you get the point now?
Conrad Heyer October 17, 2012 at 12:15 am
Blaue,
I would disagree. Filicide is not a new phenomenon since the women have been allowed control over their bodies, it has actually declined in developed countries where abortion is generally legal. There is nothing in the statistics that would indicate that it is tied to a woman's right to choose.
Stefani Kim (Editor) October 17, 2012 at 10:09 pm
Hi all,
Thanks for sharing your views on abortion, however, as I stated earlier, is off topic for the above article. I understand that many have strong views on the subject but I would prefer that we stick to the topic of maternal filicide on this comment stream. Best, Stefani Kim
Nicholas October 17, 2012 at 10:14 pm
Sorry, but no one should be imposing laws that violate another's rights to privacy,
Secondly until this country offers unlimited access to contraceptives (including the morning after pill), comprehensive prenatal health care and health care for both mothers and newborns (America has the highest infant mortality rate of the industrialized world) then any talk about imposing restrictions on abortion is disingenuous.
Conrad Heyer October 17, 2012 at 10:21 pm
Stefani,
A little consistency would be appreciated. The comment section on the Presidential debate is discussing Cialis! Maybe you should paste your comment above over there.
Blaue Vogel October 17, 2012 at 10:29 pm
Here's another popular topic: how feminism destroyed the family.
Instead of sticking your head in the sand under the guise of "staying on topic", lets put all these issues on the table and discuss/debate. What are you afraid of Stefani?
Wyntermute October 17, 2012 at 10:41 pm
I'm thinking a topic that might be more germane to you, Mr. Vogel, is how we can get better mental health coverage for the clearly disturbed with internet access.
Blaue Vogel October 17, 2012 at 10:54 pm
Ummm, where was this woman's family, Wyntermute?
Blaue Vogel October 17, 2012 at 10:55 pm
Oh, and it's Mizz Vogel, please.
Wyntermute October 17, 2012 at 10:57 pm
I don't know, Ms. Vogel. Are you suggesting that because of her raging feminism she no longer felt she needed her family and without them had to kill her child?
Blaue Vogel October 17, 2012 at 11:03 pm
Her taxpayer funded psych eval may or may not answer your question.
Conrad Heyer October 17, 2012 at 11:13 pm
Personally, I would be fascinated to hear how feminism destroyed the family. I always thought if was the fifties that did in the nuclear family, which I am sure is what Blaue is talking about..
I get why Stefani is afraid of discussions on abortion, they are deadly, same reason a lot of talk show hosts won't go near it. She should just be honest about it and not hide behind "staying on topic".
eatingdogfood October 17, 2012 at 11:43 pm
Bring back the death penalty in NY.

Newsletter & Alerts

Get the best stories each day and important breaking news

Subscribe

Not from Larchmont-Mamaroneck Patch? Find your Local Patch »

Note Article
Just a short thought to get the word out quickly about anything in your neighborhood.
Share something with your neighbors. Write a new post... What's up? Make an announcement, speak your mind, or sell something
ellen June 4, 2013 at 02:23 pm
I have photos but it won't upload for me.
Lisa Gentes-Hunt (Editor) June 4, 2013 at 03:47 pm
The advice we are hearing from our help desk is to clear the cache from your browser and to use theRead More best browser possible. Try Google Chrome, or Firefox. Don't forget to clear your cache!