What drives a mom to kill her children?

Everyone is struggling with the effects of the shaky economy, but one South Carolina mother Shaquan Duley couldn't deal with the struggles of being a parent, and took the lives of her toddlers who were 1 and 2 years old.

Duley is facing two counts of murder after police say she she killed her own two children. Authorities said Duley suffocated both of her toddlers before strapping them into car seats, and submerging the car into a river. There is speculation that Duley's mother had argued over and over again about her not knowing how to be a parent.

How could someone who has given birth to two children kill them and drown them in a river? From the information I have read, and from statements family members have said, she was a ticking time bomb. If family members knew she had issues raising children, why didn't they step in before these children had to tragically suffer and die?

According to the American Anthropological Association, more than 200 women kill their children in the United States each year. Three to five children a day are killed by their parents. So the question is why do they do it, and what makes them commit one of the most heinous crimes a person can commit?

Medical Anthropologist Nancy Hughes says in one of her articles that we should "Detach from the idea that motherhood is universal or natural, and see it as a social response." She also goes on to discuss how mothers who kill their children aren't as rare as we make it seem.

Mothers who kill their children tend to fall into five categories according to Meyer's research on dozens of cases: killing of a newborn, killing through abuse, being assisted or coerced by a partner, killing purposely and killing through neglect.

In 1996, 33-year-old Susan Eubanks of California shot her four sons 4,6,7 and 14, in the head. The day started out when Eubanks and her boyfriend began drinking. As they drank more and more the arguments began. She became so outraged with him that she slashed his tires, and locked him out of their home. Eubanks' boyfriend called the police to have them escort him to the home. After he left Eubanks lost control of her mind and body, and the catalysts of killings occurred. Eubanks and her boyfriend had a history of a violent relationship, and things kept getting worse. Finally when she could take no more she lost control, and lost everything.

If you or someone you know is dealing with the constant pressures and demands of life, be there for them and let them know they have support. Often times when people have support and love from friends or family, they won't have to take drastic measures and put themselves or someone else at risk.




Susan Eubanks