Two types of interactions between the families and professionals appeared to accompany escalating and potentially fatal abuse. Closure was one pattern. In closure, the families tried to withdraw from contact with the outside world and particularly from monitoring professionals. The parents did not keep scheduled appointments with professionals, and social workers or others repeatedly failed to gain entry to the home when they called. Closure was apparent in a majority of the 35 cases. It usually occurred in intermittent cycles. The second pattern consisted of covert warnings. These families approached professionals and communicated what was, in retrospect, a disguised admission that abuse was critically escalating. The warning nature of these incidents emerged only in the review of each case, when it was apparent that they had been followed a few days later by the child's death. Future clinical research focused on these observations may aid the practice of child protection in the future. 17 references