Trauma, Drowning Cause Most Child Abuse Deaths

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Trauma and drowning are the two principal causes of death of children who were victims of abuse and neglect in 2004.
Each year, the Florida Child Abuse Death Review Team releases data about children. The review takes about a year.
The yearly data showed some were the victims of clear crimes of brutality. One was a 3-month-old hit repeatedly in the stomach by her father until she was dead. A 10-month old girl was killed after being shaken furiously by her mother.
Others were the victims of their parents' carelessness: two children left alone in a house played with a lighter and died in the ensuing fire. Two kids were shot by siblings in cases where guns were left unlocked.

In all, 111 kids died of child abuse or neglect in 2004, the latest year for statistics.