Legal Definitions - parenticide

Parenticide refers to the act of a person unlawfully killing their own mother or father. It can also refer to the individual who commits such an act.

Here are some examples to illustrate this term:

• Example 1: After years of escalating arguments over his inheritance, a grown son, Mark, intentionally poisons his elderly father. Mark's actions would be legally classified as an act of parenticide.

  Explanation: This example demonstrates the first meaning of the term, where the act of a child murdering their parent is identified as parenticide.

• Example 2: A young woman, Sarah, is found guilty of the premeditated murder of her mother. During the sentencing phase, the prosecutor refers to Sarah as a parenticide, highlighting the heinous nature of her crime.

  Explanation: In this instance, the term parenticide is used to describe Sarah herself, the person who committed the act of killing her parent.

• Example 3: During a heated domestic dispute, a teenage son, overwhelmed by anger, fatally stabs his father. While the specific legal charges might vary based on intent and jurisdiction, the act of the son killing his father is fundamentally an act of parenticide.

  Explanation: This example illustrates that regardless of the specific circumstances or the age of the perpetrator, the act of a child causing the death of their parent falls under the definition of parenticide.