Abducted then Murdered Children: A Canadian Study

The purpose of the study, which is the first of its kind in Canada, is to better understand the demographics of children who were abducted and subsequently murdered and to gain insight into the techniques and histories of the offenders. The objective of the study is to educate the public and law enforcement on these tragedies in order to improve prevention and intervention strategies.

The study, which examines 155 child victims and 93 offenders, involved an environmental scan and examination of instances involving the abduction and subsequent murder of a child by someone other than a parent or close relative.

The Buddy System is one of the most effective abduction prevention strategies to keep children and youth safe.

Preliminary Results

The preliminary results from Abducted then Murdered Children: A Canadian Study, released in May 2016, included:

Victims:

• 84% of the victims in the study were female (130).
• Average age was 11.6 years old, with 43% of victims between the ages of 14 and 16 years old.

Offenders:

• 92% of the offenders were male.
• 69% were under 30 years of age.
• 55% had a previous criminal record.

Circumstances:

• The motivation for abducting the child was determined to be sexual in 77% of instances that involved a convicted offender.
• 41% of the abductions occurred in June, July or August.
• 45% occurred on a Friday or Saturday.
• The time between the abduction and murder of the child could be determined for 60% of the victims within the study. Of those victims, 70% were murdered within three hours of abduction.

Read the Complete Preliminary Report

Download Abducted then Murdered Children: A Canadian Study (Preliminary Results)

The information gleaned from this study underscores the importance of resources aimed at increasing the personal safety of children. For safety resources and strategies for children and families visit the Resources section.