Fatalities

This article collects reports of persons who have died as a result of genital mutilation. Of course, the list does not claim to be exhaustive. The names are highlighted because this is about people, not numbers. Every single one of these deaths could have been avoided.

21st century

2024

• Hanif Tahmi, 10, died at Dhaka, Bangladesh due to an overdose of anesthesia.

2023

• MGM - 31 December: Five-year-old Ayaan did not regain consciousness following a circumcision at United Medical College Hospital, Badda, Bangladesh. The hospital was ordered to halt health care services.

https://media.assettype.com/bdnews24-english%2F2024-01%2F0f9a5514-5719-404d-974a-377d96e21e09%2Fayan_united_medical_090124_02.jpg?auto=format%2Ccompress&format=webp&w=768

2022

• MGM - 29 December: 14 year old boy (N.N. Kirwa Maina) from Tarakwa, Uasin Gishu County, Kenya, died after botched traditional circumcision in Nandi county, Kenya.
• MGM - 25 May: 2 months old boy died in Latresne near Bordeaux, France, after mass circumcision of ten or twel boys in a Center for Ritual Circumcision (CCR).
• MGM - 30 April: Two teenagers, Thomas Ntuli, 19, and Sibusiso Masombuka, 18, died on Friday, 29 April 2022, after being traditionally circumcised at an initiation school in South Africa.
• MGM - 2 April: 7 year old boy died in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, after circumcision, child's relatives refused forensic autopsy.
• MGM - 22 March: GMA News (Philippine Islands) reported the death due to bleeding on Tuesday, 22 March 2022 of a 13-year-old boy who continued to bleed after his circumcision at a free circumcision event on Saturday, 19 March 2022 in Lucena, Quezon, Philippines, which had been sponsored by the Scout Royale Brotherhood. The boy was brought to hospital on Monday, but died the following day.
• MGM - 24 January: Five-day-old "Baby R" died in Texas Children's Hospital where he had been transferred following an elective, consented, non-therapeutic circumcision. Uncontrolled bleeding occurred. The infant boy also had a stroke and brain haemorrhage. It is unclear whether the pain and stress of circumcision precipitated the stroke and death.

2021

• MGM - 7 December: A two-year-old boy in Perth, Western Australia died after a circumcision.
• MGM - August: Kisumu: cops probing death of an 8-day-old baby after a botched circumcision

2020

• MGM - August: Kenya: Mwingi: Two kids aged 5 and 7 years die in circumcision gone wrong.

2019

• MGM - August: Oliver from Connecticut dies due to a herpes infection at his circumcision on his third day of life in June 2019.
• MGM - March 23: Boy dies after parents performed a circumcision at their home in Italy, 1 boy, 5 months
• MGM - March 10: 14 days old Emmitt Tailer Goss dies after circumcision on his 3rd day, 1 boy, 14 days

2018

• MGM - December 23: Italy: Toddler dies from bleeding after his circumcision, 1 boy, 2 years
• MGM - December 23: South Africa: Deads after circumcision, 21 boys, adolescent
• FGM - December 21: Sierra Leone: Bloody ritual with deadly consequences, 1 girl, 10 years
• MGM - May 26: Baby died from bleeding the next day, 1 boy, 29 days

2017

• MGM - November 25: Alex Hardy kills himself two years after his obviously misdiagnosed circumcision, 1 man, 23 years old, UK.
• MGM - September 18: Turin: Little Henry was just 50 days old, 1 boy, 50 days

2016

• MGM - May 26: Tyler Isaiah Pacheco, 4 days old, dies after mother allegedly suffocates him to death because he cried inconsolably after his circumcision on May 26.

2015

• MGM - March 31: Kevin Lloyd Cagle, 20, San Francisco, California, suicide

2013

• MGM - August: Gugeluthu Molakapa, age 4, brain dead after a circumcision at Germiston Hospital, Johannesburg, South Africa.
• MGM - May 24: Anonymous, two weeks old, died in the Wolfson Medical Center, in Holon, Israel, after slipping into unconsciousness during a circumcision ceremony.
• MGM - March 8: Braden Tyler Frazier. Born 25 February 2013 at Lodi, California. Died at Sacramento. Circumcised on the ninth day of life at Sacramento, California. Died on the eleventh day of life of hemorrhage and convulsions, secondary to circumcision.
• MGM - January 25: Ryan Heydari, (born 3 January 2019 in Ontario, Canada), bled to death after being circumcised on day 22 of his life.

2012

• MGM - September 16: Jacob Cole Sweet dies as a result of circumcision infection by RIC and subsequent brain damage following incorrect medication
• MGM - May 8: Infant boy, age two-weeks. Circumcised Sunday, 6 May 2012 in a doctor's office on the east side of Oslo, Norway. Died of bleeding.
• MGM - April 27: In May 2012, the Indian Deccan Chronicle reported that two boys in Bodhan had died of uncontrollable bleeding after circumcision.
• MGM - April 17: Pakistan Today reported the death of 15-day-old infant Ali in April 2012. Ali was to be circumcised in a private clinic, where he died of an injection given him by a doctor.
• MGM - April: Two boys, Arif, age 4 and Azhar, age 3,in Rakasipet, Bodhan, Andhra Pradesh India. The boys died after a circumcision a few days before by a rural medical practitioner at Masjid Colony in the Rakasipet area due to uncontrolled "overbleeding".
• MGM - February 17: Angelo Ofori-Minhah, age 28-days, of Queen's Park, Northamptonshire, England, died after being circumcised by Rabbi Mordehai Cohen on February 15, 2012. The cause of death was bleeding, exsanguination, and heart failure, according to the medical report. The infant was reported to have lost three-quarters of his total blood volume.

2011

• MGM - November 26: James Connor, infant, seven pounds eight ounces, 21 inches long. Born at Pittsburgh, Friday, November 25, 2011. Death by bleeding after circumcision.
• MGM - September 28: Anonymous Jewish infant, two weeks old. Death from herpes infection, Maimonides Hospital, Brooklyn, New York.
• MGM - September: Braydon, newborn, some weeks old. Death from bleeding after circumcision. His mother is American, his father is Canadian and Jewish.
• MGM - May 3: Jaamal Coleson, Jr., toddler, of Brooklyn, New York. Died at Beth Israel Medical Center, Manhattan, New York City after a circumcision.

2010

• MGM - October 6: Joshua Haskins, 7-weeks old. Died 19 hours after having circumcision followed by prolonged bleeding, despite having congenital heart defect and being in intensive care. Indianapolis, Indiana, USA.
• MGM - September 25: Saijad Hossain Mimu, 6-years-old. Death by lidocaine anaesthetic overdose, Safapur, Amirbad Union, Sonagazi Upazila, Feni District in the Division of Chittagong, Bangladesh.
• MGM - April 17: Goodluck Caubergs, Baby. Bled to death after circumcision. Oldham, England.

2009

• MGM - November 11: Sonke Foca, male, 19-years-old. Death by dehydration following circumcision, Butterworth, Transkei, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa.
• MGM - October 30: Kaan Otuk, boy, one-month-old. Death by circumcision anaesthesia overdose, Çukurova State Hospital, Adana, Turkey.
• MGM - October: Bradley Dorcius, boy, 7-months-old. Death by circumcision, SUNY Downstate Hospital. Brooklyn, New York, USA.
• MGM - January 1: Jayvas Carson, full-term baby, born 15 Novmber 2008. Circumcised 28 November 2008 by Dr. Rachel Carson of Coeur d'Alene Pediatics. Died at Sacred Heart Children's Hospital, Spokane, Washington, after long series of complications that started with the loss of blood due to his non-therapeutic circumcision.

2008

• MGM - December 23: Beasley Allen Terrebonne, age 48, death by suicide after botched circumcision and resulting depression. Thibodaux, Louisiana, USA.
• MGM - August 3: Gino Erojo, 11-years-old. Death by infection following circumcision, Panciao, Manjyod, Negroes Oriental, Philippines.
• MGM - July 22: Johnson Killed. Age 2 years and 7 months. Death by circumcision. Bari, Italy.
• MGM - July: Yogama Boya, 18-year-old male, death by circumcision, Qumbu area of Transkei, South Africa.
• MGM - June 13: Eric Keefe, 6-week-old infant boy, death by blood loss following circumcision, Indian Health Service Hospital, Rosebud, South Dakota, USA.
• MGM - June 5: Evidence Obosee Prince Aseh, boy, 2-months, death by circumcision, haemorrhage, Treviso, Italy.

2007

• MGM - November 18: Anonymous Infant boy, 18-days-old, death by circumcision, Pilar District, Tarragona, Nigeria.
• MGM - November 18: Kulideep Kumar Vishnubhai Patel, 10-year-old boy, death by circumcision, Unjha, Gujarat, India.
• MGM - November: Anonymous 18-year-old male, death by circumcision, Gxulu Village, Umtata, South Africa.
• MGM - July: In Rawalpindi, Pakistan, a baby died of blood loss in July 2007 after the doctor did not properly perform the circumcision. The operation was carried out in the boy's home, the Daily Times reported.
• MGM - June: In Kazan, Russia, the four-year-old Rifat died in June 2007 after a ritual circumcision in the hospital.
• MGM - February 22: Celian Noumbiwe, boy, nine weeks, death by circumcision, bled to death, Wexham Park Hospital, Slough, Berkshire, United Kingdom.
• MGM - February 9: Amitai Moshe, 2 weeks, after a ritual circumcision at Golders Green Synagogue, London.
• MGM - February: Anonymous Infant boy. Death by bleeding following circumcision in Creswell, Oregon, Sacred Heart Hospital, Eugene, Oregon, USA.

2006

• MGM - December 18: Lunga Nocanda, 18, Paarl, Western Cape, South Africa.
• MGM - November 26: Xola Mbuqe, 18, Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital, Mthatha, Eastern Cape, South Africa.
• MGM - August 07: Dead Franjo: penalty for female doctor reduced to 18 months, 1 boy (Franjo O.), 4 years
• MGM - July 8 or 9: Nkhiphitheni Nehelula, 9, Guyuni-Dzumbama village near Mutale, Limpopo, South Africa.
• MGM - July 5: Sello Ntsie, 18 (beaten to death at a circumcision "initiation school" before he could be circumcised), Zuurbekom, near Westonaria, South Africa.
• MGM - July 5: Siyabonga Radebe, 14 (beaten to death at a circumcision "initiation school" before he could be circumcised), Zuurbekom, near Westonaria, South Africa.
• MGM - July 3: Patrick Hoho, 58 (hacked to death by Hoho's circumcision victim), Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
• MGM: The son of Ramil Sadekov, the imam of the historic mosque in Moscow, Salikh Sadekow was only a month old. The imam had contacted the circumciser due to an advertising campaign, and the operation was carried out in the imam's apartment. At first, it seemed that the circumcision had been successful and uncomplicated, but Salikh's condition soon began to deteriorate rapidly. At 5am, parents noticed that their baby was breathing slower than usual. His fingers became cold and green. He died of blood loss before the ambulance arrived.

2005

• MGM - October 20: Jacob Christian Holliday. Circumcision damaged already-defective heart, requiring heart transplant at age two. Death resulted from cancer caused by immuno-suppresant drugs and resultant cancer at age 4, Orlando, Florida, USA.
• MGM - February 15: Abou Quir, infant boy, Alexandria, Egypt.
• MGM - February 10: Muyoddin Khan, 5, Indrapur, Nepal.
• MGM - January 9: Wandile Lwane, 21 (Dontsa Lwane's brother, by suicide after learning of Dontasa's death) Ezibeleni, Queenstown, South Africa.
• MGM - January 8: Dontsa Lwane, 19 (by suicide after botched circumcision of Dec 11, 2004) Gqebenya, Lady Frere, South Africa.

2004

• MGM - October: Anonymous Infant twin (by herpes virus, circumcised by Rabbi Yitzhok Fischer who had herpes and performed metziza by mouth [sucking the blood] on baby's penis) New York, New York, USA.
• MGM - July 4: Sabelo Marotya, 17, at Mdantsane, South Africa.

2003

• MGM - December 15: Andile Masabalala, 21, of Tsomo, South Africa.
• MGM - December 12: Myolisi Mayekiso, 18, of Whittlesea, South Africa.
• MGM - December 12: Thamsanqa Mnyaka, 19, of Whittlesea, South Africa.
• MGM - December: Bennett Ntazina, adolescent boy. Death by circumcision. Jan Kempdorp, South Africa.
• MGM - August 17: Callis Osaghae: Regional Hospital, Waterford, Ireland.
• MGM - March 26: Nui Jia Yuan, 4-years-old. Death by asphyxia following circumcision. Singapore.

2002

• MGM - November 21: Sifiso Kobo: Umtata, South Africa.
• MGM - November 19: Zola Mjamba: Umtata, South Africa.
• MGM - August 22: Ryleigh Roman Bryan McWillis: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

2001

• MGM - June 23: In June 2001, 8-year-old Habibur Rahman died in Bangladesh after being circumcised by a doctor.

20th century

1999

• MGM - August: In August 1999, a three-year-old boy was circumcised in Stockholm by a doctor. He was dead a few hours after the procedure.

1998

• MGM - October 20: NewsNet4 of Cleveland, Ohio, USA reported in October 1998 on the death of infant Dustin Evans.

1995

• MGM - July 18: In July 1995, the Houston Chronicle (Texas, USA) reported the death of five-year-old Jeremie Johnson.

1993

• MGM - June 23: Demetrius Manker: Carol City, Dade County, Florida, USA.

1992

• MGM - July 8: Allen A. Ervin: Spartanburg, SC

1991

• MGM - July: Raju Miah: Death by circumcision. Birmingham, England, United Kingdom.

1990

• MGM: Boma Oruitemeka: Death by circumcision, severe hemorrhage. London, England, UK.

1986

• MGM - November: Steven Christopher Chacon: San Francisco, CA, USA.

1982

• MGM - November: Christopher Dolezal: Des Moines, IA, USA.

1974

• MGM - June 9: Chino Burrell: 7-months-old, death by circumcision, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

1957

• MGM: Bruce Wechsler: infant boy, Staph infection following circumcision. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.

1949

• MGM: Gairdner (1949) reported 16 deaths per year. Death from circumcision still occurs.

1942

• MGM - December: "J.B.": Evanston, Illinois, USA.
• MGM - April: Baby boy Lebeau, death by circumcision, Quebec, Canada.

1932

• MGM: Roland Albert McCarty: infant boy. Death by infection of circumcision wound. Jacksonville, Florida, USA.

1927

• MGM - August 21: Michael Julian Baldwin: infant boy, 4-days-old, hemorrhage after circumcision. Monroe County, Indiana, USA.

1910

• MGM - June 10: Aleck, Baby Boy: Island County, Washington, USA.

19th century

1858

• MGM - April 18: Myer Jacob Levy: 8-days-old, bled to death after circumcision, New York, NY, USA.

1856

• MGM - December 14: Julius Katzenstein: 8-days-old, bled to death after circumcision, New York, NY, USA.

Antiquity

The fact that circumcision on infants regularly led to deaths is shown by the fact that the Talmud of Babylon, Yebamoth 64b, provides for when the first two (or three) sons have died after circumcision, subsequent sons no longer need to be circumcised.

See also

• Anonymous case reports
• Death
• Sudden Infant Death Syndrome

External links

The following websites maintain lists with fatalities due to circumcision on minors, too. Some cases are listed above, but are commented in detail or with more information on the following web pages.

• Beschneidungsforum.de, German
• Circumcision Deaths
• In Memory of the Sexually Mutilated Child
• Online memorial for all victims of child circumcision, Facebook page, German
• peaceful parenting: Dr. Momma
• Pro-Kinderrechte.de, German
• Wise Woman Way of Birth