Training Courses

Child Death and Homicide Investigation by PATC

Date & Time:
  • October 19, 2026 – October 20, 2026
Location:
Elyria, OH

Child Death and Homicide Investigation

Duration: 2 days (16 professional development hours)

Instructor: William Ralston III

Cost: $500.00

Schedule: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM local time each day

Course Overview

This intensive two-day program provides investigators with a thorough examination of specialized techniques and knowledge needed when handling child fatality and homicide cases. Participants will explore the distinctive patterns and investigative approaches used to distinguish between natural causes, accidental injuries, and intentional harm in cases involving pediatric victims.

Topics Covered

The course addresses a broad range of critical subjects including:

  • Natural disease presentations and sudden unexpected deaths in infants, with particular focus on SUID (Sudden Unexplained Death in Infancy)
  • Differentiation between accidental injury patterns and those inflicted by caregivers
  • Age-specific injury presentations including head trauma, abdominal injuries, and skeletal trauma
  • Neonaticide investigation with emphasis on perpetrator characteristics and investigative procedures
  • Stranger-abduction homicide findings and victim recovery
  • Factitious illness (Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy) identification and documentation
  • Natural conditions commonly confused with abuse
  • Scene investigation techniques specific to pediatric cases
  • Victim and perpetrator behavioral patterns across different age groups

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion, participants will be able to:

  • Identify common causes of death across infants, toddlers, and older children
  • Distinguish between accidental and inflicted injury patterns
  • Recognize natural medical conditions that may be mistaken for abuse
  • Apply victim and perpetrator characteristic profiles to case analysis
  • Identify investigative patterns in neonaticide and factitious illness cases
  • Execute scene investigation protocols appropriate for pediatric fatalities
  • Understand the specialized knowledge required for pediatric death investigation

Instructional Approach

Content is presented through detailed case studies derived from medical examiner case files, including scene photographs and autopsy findings. Please note: This course contains graphic medical and autopsy imagery and is intended for professionals with appropriate backgrounds.

Intended Audience

This advanced training is designed for law enforcement investigators, criminal attorneys, social services professionals, pediatricians, emergency medical personnel, death investigators, and forensic pathologists who require comprehensive knowledge in pediatric death investigation.

Important: This class consists of 16 professional development hours, so daily sessions run from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM local time.