Abstract
Homicide is a significant behavioral deviation resulting in a sudden and unexpected loss of life and can leave children in the chaotic wake. Interviews conducted with 13 children ages 9 to 11 years during the initial 1 to 3 months after a family homicide provided insight into themes of bereavement. A major finding in the study was that the witnessing or hearing the news of a family member homicide was a powerful associative factor for childhood posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and for complicated bereavement.