Parentacide 

Parentacide is the term used to describe a child killing one or both parents. Although the subject is as abhorrent as suicide or infantecide, it is a part of our life that cannot be dismissed.

Parentacide dates back to Greek mythology, where Oedipus killed his father Laius and married his mother Jocasta. Frued coined the term Oedipus complex to describe a state of psychosexual development and awareness first occuring at the age of 3 1/2 years.

In 1989 Lyle and Erik Menendez commited parentacide when they murdered both of their parents in cold blood. Although the murders were at least partially motivated by money, the brothers alleged their father had abused them, which was their justification for the killing.

Jeremy Bamber committed parentacide by proxy and was convicted in 1986 of killing his adoptive parents, sister, and her two six year old sons. Although money was thought to be the motive for this killing spree, the fact that he was adopted indicates that the reasons behind the murders were less clear cut. Being adopted, Bamber very likely suffered from adopted child syndrome, which is a psychological maladjustment to the knowledge that his real parents had given him up for adoption.