Instructors: Mark Crider Course length: 16 hours (2 days)
Child Death Investigation is practical multidisciplinary training designed for detectives, CSI personnel, patrol officers, social workers, medical professionals, and child protection partners involved in the investigation of child fatalities. This course provides participants with a comprehensive framework for recognizing, documenting, and interpreting child death typologies—including natural, accidental, inflicted, neglect-related, SIDS/SUIDS, and undetermined causes.
Through lecture, case studies, guided discussion, attendees will learn to evaluate death scenes, understand injury patterns unique to infants and children, properly collect and preserve evidence, and collaborate effectively with medico-legal and child protection agencies. The use of digital data including BWC recordings, recorded suspect interviews and interrogation, surveillance video and social media will be used during case presentations and group discussion from current investigations. Emphasis is placed on avoiding confirmation bias and distinguishing between accidental and inflicted trauma.
DAY 1 Introductions, Course Overview and Course Goals
MDT (Multidisciplinary Team) Approach
Investigative Collaboration is a MUST for success
Every child death must be treated as suspicious until proven otherwise
Natural Deaths (SIDS-Mayo Clinic- sudden infant death syndrome is the unexplained death of a baby. The baby is usually less than a year old and seems to be healthy. It often happens during sleep.
Accidental Deaths (unsafe sleeping, motor vehicle, drowning, falls, burns choking, poisoning/OD) Is neglect relevant?
Neglect (severe malnutrition, medical neglect, lack of supervision, unsafe conditions, caregiver impairment, history of chronic CPS referrals)
SIDS vs. SUID
Wound and injury characteristics
Identify red flags suggestive of abuse or foul play
Patterns of abuse (shaken baby, compression injuries, head trauma)
Review videos and photographs for all Child Death Typologies. Case presentations and group participation in scenarios.
Scene Response & Scene Management
Patrol officer duties vs. detective responsibilities
Establish protocol when first arriving at a child death scene
Ensure preservation and initial scene documentation (BWC)
Interactions with family, caregivers and handling extreme emotional environment
Initial interviews may be the most accurate and unfiltered information received-Record these interactions.
Scene security and search warrant considerations
Prioritizing living victims or siblings
Ensure proper preservation and documentation.
Body position, bedding, sleep surfaces, temperature, lividity
Establish protocol when first arriving at a child death scene
Involve CPS as soon as possible
Baby on scene or transported?
Medicolegal response
Review 911 calls
Review Body Worn Cameras (BWC) recordings from initial child death scene response. Lessons learned from this review. Listen to 911 calls from natural and traumatic death investigations. Compare and contrast calls.
Scene Documentation & Evidence Collection
Capture the full story of the scene through structured photography (overall, mid-range, close-ups) and video
Collaborate with CSI and determine forensic evidence to be collected or samples to be collected at the scene. Determine items of evidence to be collected (blankets, baby bottles, formula, medication, clothing, diapers, bedding from crib, etc.-collect if any doubt.
One chance to process the scene-make it count
Review of scene documentation on child death cases to included photographs and videos. Group discussion on “what was missed” and what can be improved. Discussion of forensic evidence and items for analysis by Crime Laboratory.
Investigative Interviews with Caregivers
DO NOT BE ACCUSATORY-JUST GET INFORMATION-THIS DEATH MAY BE NATURAL AND FAMILY WILL NEVER FORGET HOW THEY WERE TREATED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT AND CPS.
BE COGNIZANT OF CONFIRMATION BIAS.
Trauma-informed, non-accusatory interviewing
Avoiding confirmation bias
Miranda considerations
Record when possible
Recognizing deception indicators
Establishing timeline: last known alive ➝ discovery
Identifying all caregivers
Key questions for parents, babysitters, siblings, medical staff
Differentiating normal vs. fabricated explanations
Using CPS history appropriately
Interviewing young children or non-verbal witnesses
Observing forensic interviews conducted by trained FI professionals
Avoiding accusatory posture while maintaining investigative rigor
*Forensic Interviews (FI) by professionals with specialized training in forensic interview for child siblings and relatives. Police and CPS should observe interviews.
Provide video case presentations on successful child death interviews including naturals deaths and homicide deaths. Interviews on scene and at police facility under Miranda requirements. Provided video of FI interviews.
DAY 2 Medical Examiner/Coroner Collaboration
Medicolegal response
When pathologists should respond to scenes
Importance of complete medical history
Information sharing between ME, police, and CPS
Importance of attending autopsies (critical training for detectives & CPS)
Understanding autopsy findings
Detectives’ role during autopsy; proper documentation
Mark Crider is a highly accomplished recently retired Homicide Detective with the Denver Police Department, bringing 34 years of distinguished law enforcement experience to his work as an investigator, instructor, and subject matter expert. His career began with honorable service in the U.S. Air Force Security Forces, followed by his role as a patrol officer with the St. Petersburg Police Department. In 1995, he joined the Denver Police Department, where he spent more than 23 years as a detective—over 21 of them in the Homicide Unit.
