The Maniac Father and the Convict Brother are Gone -- The Poor Girl, Homeless, Friendless, Deserted, Destitute, and Gin Mad, Commits Self Murder

In the context of Cruikshank's morality tale on the dangers of drinking, the girl's suicide, described in the title of the print as self-murder, resulted from her father's alcoholism and the deterioration of her family. Published in 1848, The Drunkard's Children was issued in the hope of repeating the commercial success of Cruikshank's popular series The Bottle of the previous year.