Reply #1: Most likely the child did not intend suicide, but rather drama

[Lance_Boyle]

of the "won't they feel sorry for the way they've treated me when I'm gone" variety. I doubt she had a well formed concept of the permanence of death and opted for it. More likely she thought "if mom comes in the room and sees me hanging from the crib she won't be mad at me anymore and I can have ice cream" or some such.