Altruistic filicide: a mother kills her child out of love; she believes death to be in the child's best interest (includes maternal filicide-suicide cases).

Acutely psychotic filicide: a psychotic or delirious mother kills her child without any comprehensive motive (perhaps accompanied by command hallucinations).

Fatal maltreatment filicide: death is usually not the anticipated outcome; it results from cumulative child abuse, neglect, or Munchausen syndrome by proxy.

Unwanted-child filicide: a mother thinks of her child as a hindrance.

Spouse revenge filicide: occurs when a mother kills her child to emotionally harm that child's father.