The aim of this study is to report the case of a woman who killed a
child. After a forensic psychiatric appraisal to evaluate penal
responsibility, she was considered not guilty by reason of insanity and
mandatorily committed to the central forensic psychiatric hospital in the
State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The patient received a diagnosis of
paranoid schizophrenia, based on DSM-IV-TR. She was not in psychiatric
treatment and showed psychotic symptoms before the violent behavior
became manifest. The study of motivational factors in homicidal behavior
may provide further knowledge for understanding, preventing and
treating it in such cases.
