Between 2008 and 2009, child fatalities fell by 35 per cent from 124 to 81.

The most tragic consequence of child abuse and neglect is a child fatality.

The following resources provide strategies for responding collaboratively to investigate child fatalities, including State and local examples.

The increase in reports, standard after a child fatality, is encouraging.

In 1990, there were 117 such child fatalities, and in 1991 there were 102, the report said.

Officials have pointed to declining numbers of child fatalities referred to the agency on suspicion of abuse or neglect.

So far this year, there have been 18 known to the agency out of 58 child fatalities.

That contributed to the decline in child fatalities due to natural causes, he said.

The accidents involving the eight child fatalities that Dr. Martinez reported today are still under study.

But Mr. Delmar said that since 1998 the agency has not prepared about 60 reports on child fatalities.