Background Killing and abuse of children with disabilities are covert phenomena, occurring in some developing regions, such as in some African countries. Similar to the practice of ritual killing of spirit children in Ghana, the phenomenon of the snake child in Cote d'Ivoire (known as Ivory Coast), is the ritual abandonment or killing of children with intellectual disability (ID). Method This study is a qualitative ethnographic investigation into understanding this phenomenon. Three major questions were of interest: (1) Who are the snake children? (2) How are these children viewed and treated? (3) What are ways of changing negative attitudes towards children with developmental disabilities? Results The practices of killing, abandonment and abuse of children with disabilities take place in Cote d'Ivoire today, although the extent is not known. Conclusion Killing and abuse of children with ID are explained within the context of indigenous African religions, animism and folk culture. The concept of disability ‘otherness’ and inferiority is also explored as a framework for reflection and ethical debate.