Familial homicide is a form of homicide recognised in England and Wales by the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004 and carries a prison sentence of up to 14 years. The Act closes a legal loophole that allows those jointly accused of the murder of a child or vulnerable adult to avoid prosecution by remaining silent or blaming each other; it puts a clear legal responsibility on adults who have frequent contact with a child or vulnerable adult to take reasonable steps of protection if they knew or should have known the child or vulnerable adult was at significant risk of serious physical harm from members of that household.