America ReFramed

Death of a Child

By Frida and Lasse Barkfors, and Anne Köhncke

In DEATH OF A CHILD, parents recount in disbelief the unimaginable trauma of forgetting their very own child in the car. Remarkably, this is a common accident and happens as much as 30 to 40 times a year in the United States. In 2018 it happened 51 times.

Doug, Lyn, Norman and Antonio are all responsible for their own children’s deaths. Through their honest and deeply personal stories, we get an insight into what it means to live with what they have done. The legal, social and personal aftermaths differ, often depending on gender, social status, social networks and relationships. But overall, there is something about what these parents have done that always seems to trigger a very specific social rage and condemnation. Deep, interpersonal dynamics unfold while community comes together to help these families heal. Straight talk about responsibility, parenting, stigmatization and shame ultimately lead to forgiveness.