Sentence:  In West Africa , for example , where meat is a luxury and babies must be weaned early to make room at the breast for later arrivals , a childhood menace is kwashiorkor , or `` red Johnny '' , a growth-stunting protein deficiency ( signs : reddish hair , bloated belly ) that <WSD>kills</WSD> more than half its victims , leaves the rest prey for parasites and lingering tropical disease . 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  cause to die; put to death, usually intentionally or knowingly