TOPEKA – (November 10, 2011) – The Kansas State Child Death Review Board released its annual report, analyzing statistics of the deaths of children age 17 and younger in the year 2009.

“The death of a child is always tragic,” Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt said. “I appreciate the work of the State Child Death Review Board in compiling this report so we can understand the trends and focus resources where they are most needed to keep our children safe.”

In 2009, 449 Kansas children died. This represents an 11 percent decline in deaths from 2008. Natural deaths remained the cause in the majority of the fatalities, accounting for 321 of the total cases. Of the natural deaths, 58 percent were infants younger than 29 days. Prematurity and congenital conditions accounted for a majority of those deaths.

Fatalities from motor vehicle crashes fell to 38 – the lowest number since the Board began keeping statistics – and a 25 percent decrease from 2008. Suicide cases also continued to drop from previous years, with eight in 2009. Homicide deaths increased slightly from 26 in 2008 to 29 in 2009.

The Board is a multi-disciplinary, multi-agency volunteer board organized within the Attorney General’s Office to examine trends and patterns that identify risk factors in the deaths of children, from birth through 17 years of age. The board is chaired by Assistant Attorney General Christine Ladner.

The report can be downloaded from the Attorney General’s website at www.ksag.org/page/child-safety.