Mar 15, 2026

This release includes a zip file with a codebook and seven data files:

• The case detail file contains basic information about each case, such as location, various dates, how the case came to light and under what circumstances, numbers of fatalities involved, whether it was a fatality case, whether it involved withdrawal from school, and whether there was a history of contact with social services.
• The sources file contains links to sources (e.g., news articles) for each case, including to archive.org if the source has been archived there.
• The category overview dashboard file contains category coding for each case, e.g. whether the case involved abduction, fratricide, adoption, food deprivation, medical neglect, physical abuse, etc.
• The fatalities file includes information about each homeschooled fatality victim (name, age, gender, state). Cases with multiple fatalities will have one row for each homeschooled victim.
• If a case involved one or more homeschooled children being withdrawn from school prior to the incident, the withdrawal file contains additional information about the withdrawal(s), including information about the reason for the withdrawal (if known) and the timeline surrounding the withdrawal and afterward, leading up to but not including the incident itself.
• The adoption file contains a line for each case involving adoption or fostering, nonparental guardians (both legal and nonlegal), and “other” cases (typically abduction or cult living situations). This file includes information about whether they were fostered prior to adoption, whether disability was involved in the case, and whether the case involved serial adopters of special needs children.
• The singled out file looks at whether some children were singled out for more severe abuse or neglect or for different types of abuse.