Dissociative Amnesia Complicating an Attempted Maternal Filicide-Suicide: A Case Report

TL;DR

A young woman attempted to kill her toddler and herself, later experiencing memory loss and emotional distress, highlighting the complexity of trauma-related mental health issues.

Contribution

This case report adds to the limited understanding of filicide-suicide and dissociative amnesia in Malaysia.

Findings

The patient exhibited dissociative amnesia following a traumatic filicide-suicide attempt.

Her recovery was marked by significant emotional distress and guilt.

The case underscores the need for tailored mental health management in such complex trauma scenarios.

Abstract

Filicide-suicide, a subset of homicide-suicide, describes cases in which one or both parents kill their child(ren) and subsequently die by suicide. It is a rare but tragic phenomenon with limited reports in Malaysia. Dissociative amnesia, characterized by an inability to recall important autobiographical information, often related to a traumatic experience, can further complicate this phenomenon. We present a case of a young woman who inflicted life-threatening injuries on her toddler and herself, and subsequently exhibited features of dissociative amnesia after she regained consciousness. One month later, her recovery was accompanied by intense emotional distress and guilt. This case highlights the diagnostic complexity of dissociative amnesia in the aftermath of severe trauma and the need for individualized management in cases involving attempted filicide and suicide.