Written by THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

The number of North Carolina children who died by either homicide or suicide has more than doubled over the past decade, and a report released this week shows homicide was the leading cause of death among children from age 1 to 17 in 2020.

The state Child Fatality Task Force’s report said that in 2020, 92 children died as a result of homicide, making it the leading cause of death for that age group. It was the second-leading cause of death among children aged 1 to 4, news outlets reported.

Of the total number of homicides, 13 children under the age of 1 died from homicide in 2020, according to the report. One of the 13 deaths involved a firearm.

The report defines a child as anyone under 18.

Also in 2020, suicide was the fourth leading cause of death for children with 56 deaths. Among children aged 10 to 14, it was the leading cause of death. Self-inflicted injuries resulted in almost 550 hospitalizations and more than 2,700 emergency department visits in the state in 2020, the report said.

The report also noted that suicidal behavior by high school students has been trending upward and is most pronounced among youth who identify as gay, lesbian or bisexual.

Statewide, there were 152 deaths due to prematurity and low birth weight, while 146 were the result of congenital malformations, deformations and chromosomal abnormalities, the report said. According to the report, the infant mortality rate in North Carolina was 6.9 per 1,000 births, the eighth highest rate in the U.S.

According to the report, most causes of death among children in the state held relatively steady from 2011 through 2020, the most recent year for which figures are available.

In the report, the task force renews a call for North Carolina to increase funding for programs targeted at reducing child fatalities, including educating people about infant sleep safety, firearm safety and improving maternal and infant health, especially among minorities.

 

Related Stories
‹
UNC Chancellor Shares Updates on 'Carolina Across 100,' Off-Campus Initiatives
While classes start this week on campus, UNC is also working on several initiatives off of its campus to expand its footprint and influence.
Suicides and Homicides Among Young Americans Jumped Early in the Pandemic, Study Says
Written by MIKE STOBBE The homicide rate for older U.S. teenagers rose to its highest point in nearly 25 years during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the suicide rate for adults in their early 20s was the worst in more than 50 years, government researchers said Thursday. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report examined the homicide […]
More on $1 Billion for N. Carolina Mental Health Unveiled
Written by GARY D. ROBERTSON A proposal on how North Carolina should spend $1 billion in one-time funds from the federal government to improve mental health care for children, adults and criminal offenders is taking shape with a bipartisan House measure filed on Tuesday. The legislation goes into detail on what to do with a large […]
Four-Term North Carolina Gov. Jim Hunt, a Leader in Education Reform, Dies at 88
Former Gov. Jim Hunt, a towering figure in North Carolina politics in the late 20th century who helped leaders from both major parties strive for public education reform, died Thursday at the age of 88.
Chapel Hill Educator, Historian and UNC Statistician Freddie Kiger Inducted Into Order of Longleaf Pine
Members of the East Chapel Hill Rotary Club surprised Freddie Kiger with his induction into the Order of the Long Leaf Pine during its holiday party on Dec. 5.
North Carolina Gov. Stein Cancels Medicaid Rate Cuts Amid Legal and Legislative Battles
North Carolina Democratic Gov. Josh Stein is canceling Medicaid reimbursement rate reductions he initiated over two months ago, preserving in the short term access to care for vulnerable patients.
French Manufacturer Shares Plans to Relocate U.S. Operations to Hillsborough
Gov. Josh Stein’s office shared the French manufacturing company CITEL is planning on relocating its U.S. business to Hillsborough and will invest $12.5 million in the project.
Federal Judges Uphold Several North Carolina US House Districts Drawn by Republicans
Written by GARY D. ROBERTSON RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Federal judges on Thursday upheld several U.S. House districts that North Carolina Republicans drew in 2023 that helped the GOP gain additional seats the following year. They rejected accusations the lines unlawfully fractured and packed Black voters to weaken their voting power. The order by three judges — […]
On the Porch: Dr. Jim Crawford - October News Roundup
This Week: Born into a blue collar and agricultural clan in rural Pennsylvania, Dr. Jim Crawford was the first in his family to graduate from college. Earning his PhD from the University of North Carolina, he taught US and World History at several universities in the piedmont North Carolina for several decades. He served as chairman of the Chatham County board of commissioners. He is a firm believer in American democracy and trusts that the constitution will hold firm now as it has in past crises despite the broken, distempered electorate. 
North Carolina Adopts New Trump-Backed US House Districts Aimed at Gaining a Republican Seat
Written by GARY D. ROBERTSON RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina Republican legislative leaders completed their remapping of the state’s U.S. House districts on Wednesday, intent on picking up one more seat to help President Donald Trump’s efforts to retain GOP control of Congress in next year’s midterm elections. The new boundaries approved by the […]
›