Do those considering adoption ever worry about the increased possibility their adopted children may kill them?

Question

I'm guessing it's a thought that rarely crosses the minds of adopters. There's a new movement afoot for the media to neglect to mention one's adoption status in crime stories.

I was reading David Kirschner's site, while it's a phenonemn I've been well aware of since delving into the study of losses surrounding abandonment and adoption; I don't believe these statistics are even on the radar of the general public. Here's a quote;

"Paul Mones, a defense attorney and expert, who wrote the book When a Child Kills, reports that adoptees are 15 times more likely to commit parricide (kill one or both adoptive parents) than biologic children"

Answer 1

Sad, but not so unbelievable, is it?

Here's another amazing statistic:

"Joel Norris, in his book, Serial Killers, notes that "many serial murderers were raised by adoptive parents or caretakers both within and outside of their biological parents' families." The FBI estimates that of the 500 recorded serial killers in U.S. history, fully 16 percent were adopted – an incredible statistic, considering that adoptees represent only 2-3 percent of the general population."

It's from the same article:

http://crimemagazine.com/07/adoptionforensics,0919-7.htm

It's written by Dr. Kirschner, who while counseling many, many kids during his 30+ years as a therapist, started drawing the conclusions on his own. He calls it ACS, or Adopted Child Syndrome.

Some articles about it:
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?sec=health&res=9A0DE6DB1630F93BA25751C0A960948260
http://www.newbusinessnews.com/story/01070101.html
http://www.angelfire.com/or/originsnsw/child.html
http://www.uoregon.edu/~adoption/topics/psychopathstudies.htm
http://www.adoptioncrossroads.org/

Answer 2

Who on earth looks at their child and says "Wow, I wonder if he/she will kill me one day?". The only way you would even POSSIBLY think of that is if you're doing something truly awful to your child. I think the statistic has more to do with this....

In most cases where children kill parents, abuse was a significant factor.

Adoption means loving the child as a parent loves a child. An abusive household would likely not do this.

Thus, since the child wasn't loved by the "parent" as a parent loves a child, it's easier for an adoptive child to deny any relationship than it is for a biological child who may look like the parent.

Therefor, I really think that the reason "parent killing" is higher in adoptive children (again, lets remember how small a number of people this really is) is because in those cases, the murderer isn't actually killing a parent (since the love wasn't there).

Answer 3

I am adopted and the thought of killing my parent never crossed my mind.

I am sure my parents never thought I would kill them, tho my mom was pretty sure she would have a nervous breakdown during my teen years LOL.

I seriously doubt that one's adoption status has anything to do with if they become murders or not.

Now if a child spent several years in an abusive home before they were adopted, they could have some psychological issues that could lead to violence if not treated.

Answer 4

What worries me is that nobody stops to think, "hey...there is a problem here...adopted people are 15 times more likely to commit a serious crime such as murder? Maybe we better look into this further."

Instead, they just come up with excuses, "Oh, they had bad aparents," or, "oh, they were just bad kids from foster care."

Seems to me that if adoptees as a group are represented that highly as a group that could do such a thing, we ought to be figuring out WHY.

Perhaps adoption ISN'T such a "beautiful" thing after all, huh? At least not for that subset of the population.

It's not bad genes, it's not "Bad apples" or bad parenting. Something deeper is going on, and I would think that if anyone truly cares about the children they would want to know why.

THAT is what really worries me.

Answer 5

Um, i'm adopted and i find your question offensive. You may not like the fact that you were adopted. But the fact is you are and you can't go back to the past. You have to move forward. The decision was made by your mother either by choice or by force. It should not make you so resentful and anger that you want to promote adoption as sad and sick. Most adoptions are good and the kids come out to be well rounded adults. Do some kids have abandonment issues, or some lingering resentment. Sometimes but some of that is because they want answers. But that doesn't mean that all adopted kids are going to kill their adoptive parents. I'm sorry I can't agree with you on this.

Edit to add: I don't mean to sound mean, it just seems that by your answers sometimes that you really hate adoption. I can't hate adoption because I have a wonderful and two loving parents. Other times I do agree with your answers.

Answer 6

First of all, you have to understand statistics. While an adoptee may be 15 times more likely to kill their parents, a tiny percentage of people in general kill their parents, so even 15 times more than that is still a tiny, tiny percentage of adoptees. And these would be adoptees who have had a very troubled history beyond just their adopted status and would have RAD (reactive attachment disorder). When you read about an adoption disruption, it is often due to very, very extreme behaviors from the rare cases when a child's history has been so traumatic that it causes a parent to truly worry about the safety of themselves and other children. Anyway, to answer your question, I do not worry that my adopted child will grow up to kill me!

Answer 7

No, can't say I have worried about that one. However, did you know that you have a better chance of getting hit by a truck than you would getting murdered by your child (adopted or not). Think about that one next time you put the keys in your car.

Answer 8

I think that it definately has to do with how badly the parent treats the child.

I think this report is saying - that If you have bio kids - and you're an abusive parent - then you're LESS likely to be killed by your child - than if you have adoptive kids and you're an abusive parent.

Adoptees are already a little messed up from being given up by their families. (ie - it messes with their head) Getting handed to abusive parents - really it could send them over the edge.

That's my opinion anyway.

But as for this opinion by an adoptive parent here - stalking and harassing an adoptee - in this thread - saying -
"Andrayno,
If that's how you really feel, then our countries need to pay for all the therapy for these poor children (before they end up in prison) and definitely screen the things "breeding" these psychopaths. How about nymphomaniacs stepping up and asking for hysterectomies? If you're going to play with fire, you're going to get burned. It's not our fault that you got pregnant 5 times."

- when ANDRAYA said NOTHING to provoke the attack -
well - I worry about the welfare of this parents adoptee - as obviously - some instability in mental functioning is clearly apparent - and that can't be good for the child.

I think she really needs to calm down and take a happy pill.

Answer 9

Hats off to you for coming up with a very new and unique question. Doesn't happen often.

I have to add to your commentary. Only 4% of adult adoptees in prison are ever visited by their adopted families, while something like 50-60% of adult bio children receive visits, letters or phone calls. This was a study out of CA and it even took into consideration distance of family from the prison. A sad commentary about unconditional love.

Answer 10

No but that's very interesting. I think people on this forum have made valid points about how adoptees feel about being adopted or that many adoptive parents abuse their children. Maybe that's why there is a higher probability. I can't imagine ever abusing my son or ignoring his feelings he might have about being adopted, so I don't worry about this ever happening to me or my husband.