The recent Annual Homicide Report in Chile, prepared by the Public Prosecutor’s Office, presented a worrying picture: we have never recorded so many deaths of children and adolescents (C&A) due to lethal violence in our country. Between 2016 and 2024, the number of victims rose from 45 to 76, representing an increase of 69%. This rise not only reflects the magnitude of the crisis but also reveals the failure of current policies to protect the most vulnerable.
These are not isolated incidents; this is a trend that has firmly taken hold over the last decade. The child homicide rate has remained at 1.7 per 100,000 C&A since 2023. While most victims are male adolescents between 14 and 17 years old, there are also young girls and boys among the cases. In 2024, six victims were under one year old—a shocking figure that shows that in Chile no age group is safe.
The report also provides a key insight: the context in which these crimes occur. Although half of the cases are linked to criminal dynamics, one in five children or adolescents was killed within the framework of domestic violence—that is, in the very space that should be the safest for them: their own home.
The report also sheds light on investigative work. The proportion of cases with unknown suspects decreased, from 38% in 2023 to 21% in 2024, meaning that the police and the Prosecutor’s Office are identifying more suspects. This progress is significant but insufficient if it is not accompanied by preventive measures and early protection.
In light of this situation, one unavoidable question arises: what is the State doing to stop this trend? Since 2024, the Intersectoral Group for the Prevention and Investigation of Child and Adolescent Homicides has been in place, composed of 11 public institutions and convened by Fundación Amparo y Justicia. This body recently completed its diagnostic phase and is working on concrete proposals.
Critical challenges have been identified in its sessions: the lack of common investigation protocols, difficulties in information sharing between agencies, a shortage of specialized training, and, above all, an adult-centered perspective in public policies that diminishes the priority given to the severity of crimes against children.
Addressing these gaps is a vital urgency. There is now an interinstitutional commitment to act in a coordinated manner, representing a historic step forward. However, it will be of little use if it does not translate into sustained policies, with sufficient resources, clear goals, and monitoring.
Maintaining and strengthening this commitment to children must become a national priority, transcending government cycles and without depending on changes in administration. As a society, we have the obligation to demand it, and the State has the duty to ensure it.
By Nicolás Pietrasanta
Head of Studies and Public Policy, Fundación Amparo y Justicia
