2024 NC Resident Child Deaths

Table 1: By Age Group and Cause of Death

Back to 2024 Child Deaths

  Total Ages 0-17 Infants Ages 1 to 4 Ages 5 to 9 Ages 10 to 14 Ages 15 to 17
# # Row % # Row % # Row % # Row % # Row %
TOTAL DEATHS 1,386 770 55.6 158 11.4 100 7.2 120 8.7 238 17.2
Perinatal Conditions: 387 386 99.7 1 0.3 0 0 0 0 0 0
... Short Gestation/Low Birthweight 104 104 100.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
... Newborn Affected by Maternal Complications 67 67 100.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
... All Other Perinatal Conditions 216 215 99.5 1 0.5 0 0 0 0 0 0
Medical Conditions: 278 71 25.5 54 19.4 46 16.5 59 21.2 48 17.3
... Malignant Neoplasms (Cancer) 51 1 2.0 10 19.6 11 21.6 15 29.4 14 27.5
... Heart Disease 35 10 28.6 4 11.4 4 11.4 9 25.7 8 22.9
... Chronic Lower Respiratory Diseases 9 0 0 0 0 4 44.4 3 33.3 2 22.2
... Septicemia 7 2 28.6 1 14.3 1 14.3 1 14.3 2 28.6
... Pneumonia/Influenza 17 2 11.8 3 17.6 3 17.6 7 41.2 2 11.8
... COVID-19 Virus 3 0 0 2 66.7 0 0 0 0 1 33.3
... All Other Illnesses 156 56 35.9 34 21.8 23 14.7 24 15.4 19 12.2
Birth Defects: 172 133 77.3 13 7.6 13 7.6 9 5.2 4 2.3
... Circulatory System 47 33 70.2 6 12.8 4 8.5 3 6.4 1 2.1
... Nervous System 30 18 60.0 4 13.3 5 16.7 1 3.3 2 6.7
... Respiratory System 7 7 100.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
... All Other Birth Defects 88 75 85.2 3 3.4 4 4.5 5 5.7 1 1.1
Motor Vehicle Injuries 111 3 2.7 18 16.2 11 9.9 13 11.7 66 59.5
Other Unintentional Injuries: 133 31 23.3 43 32.3 18 13.5 9 6.8 32 24.1
... Suffocation/Choking/Strangulation 33 27 81.8 5 15.2 0 0 0 0 1 3.0
... Drowning 31 1 3.2 15 48.4 6 19.4 2 6.5 7 22.6
... Poisoning 32 1 3.1 6 18.8 2 6.3 4 12.5 19 59.4
... Bicycle 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
... Firearm 10 0 0 6 60.0 1 10.0 1 10.0 2 20.0
... Smoke, Fire & Flames 7 1 14.3 3 42.9 3 42.9 0 0 0 0
... All Other Unintentional Injuries 20 1 5.0 8 40.0 6 30.0 2 10.0 3 15.0
Homicide: 83 7 8.4 14 16.9 9 10.8 8 9.6 45 54.2
... Involving Firearm 59 0 0 3 5.1 6 10.2 6 10.2 44 74.6
... All Other Homicides 24 7 29.2 11 45.8 3 12.5 2 8.3 1 4.2
Suicide: 44 0 0 0 0 0 0 18 40.9 26 59.1
... by Firearm 23 0 0 0 0 0 0 9 39.1 14 60.9
... by Hanging/Strangulation/Suffocation 18 0 0 0 0 0 0 9 50.0 9 50.0
... by Poisoning 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 100.0
... All Other Suicides 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Other Injuries, Undetermined Manner 13 3 23.1 2 15.4 0 0 1 7.7 7 53.8
... Other Hanging/Strangulation/Suffocation 2 2 100.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
... Other Poisoning 4 1 25.0 1 25.0 0 0 0 0 2 50.0
... All Other Undetermined Injuries 7 0 0 1 14.3 0 0 1 14.3 5 71.4
Pending/Unknown Cause of Death 142 123 86.6 10 7.0 2 1.4 2 1.4 5 3.5
All Other Causes of Death 23 13 56.5 3 13.0 1 4.3 1 4.3 5 21.7

Note on Cause of Death Figures: Numbers in this report from the State Center for Health Statistics (SCHS) may differ slightly from numbers reported later.


The OCME makes its determinations utilizing a variety of information sources when conducting its death reviews, does not close out their data, and some of its cases are still pending when SCHS closes their annual data files. Therefore, the cause and manner of death determined by the OCME may be modified based on OCME review after the time period during which the SCHS finalizes annual data files.


Prepared by NC Department of Health and Human Services, Title V Office in Collaboration with the State Center for Health Statistics, 17 APR 2026.