Infanticide and child killing have been historically documented across different

Infanticide and child killing have been historically documented across different cultures and times, although accurate figures are hard to come by due to the moral, ethical, and criminal implications, as well as varying documentation practices. Below are some avenues through which this phenomenon has been understood:

Prominent Studies:
Napoleon Chagnon’s work with the Yanomami.
Richard Lee’s work with the !Kung San people.

Anthropological Records:
Prehistoric: There is archaeological evidence, such as the remains of infants found in conditions that suggest unnatural death, although these are open to interpretation.
Primitive Societies: Ethnographic accounts suggest that in some hunter-gatherer societies, infanticide was practiced to manage the size of the group.
Historical Texts:
Roman Law: Laws such as the Roman ‘Patria Potestas’ gave fathers the right to dispose of offspring, indicating that the practice existed.
Medieval Europe: Church records sometimes indicate the abandonment or killing of children.
Asian History: Chinese historical texts describe the drowning of female infants due to a preference for male heirs.
Colonial America: There are court records documenting the prosecution of mothers accused of killing their offspring.
Religious and Mythological Texts:
Biblical References: The Bible has instances like the killing of firstborns in Egypt.
Hindu Epics: Texts like Mahabharata contain stories where characters are abandoned or exposed but are usually saved.
Modern Surveys:
Crime Records: Infanticide still occurs and is documented in crime statistics, although the rates vary considerably.
Other Indicators:
Literature and Folklore: Stories and myths sometimes depict infanticide or child abandonment, reflecting societal issues.
Scholarly Work:
Researchers like Steven Pinker have discussed the decline of violent practices like infanticide in modern times, as moral norms and child-rearing practices have evolved.

Caveats:
Underreporting: Infanticide is likely underreported due to its sensitive and criminal nature.
Moral and Ethical Issues: Different societies have had varying moral codes related to child killing, influencing how often it was done or recorded.

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