Parenticide is (i) a child's killing of one or both parents, (i.e. parricide, matricide), or (ii) someone who has killed a parent. Although the subject is as abhorrent as infanticide, it is a part of our life that cannot be dismissed.

Parenticide was found in Greek mythology, where Oedipus unknowingly killed his father Laius, and then married his mother Jocasta. Sigmund Freud coined the term Oedipus complex to describe a state of psychosexual development and awareness first occurring at the age of 3 1/2 years.

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

Jeremy Bamber committed parenticide 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. Bamber may have suffered from adopted child syndrome, a psychological maladjustment to the knowledge that his real parents had given him up for adoption.