This report covers the three-year analysis of a depressed boy (from the age of seven through ten) who was sad, failing in school, said little, lay on the floor sucking his thumb, ate with his hands, and crawled and barked like a dog. His mother had been depressed for many years, and the parents separated when the child was six years old. During the analysis he saw his mother only twice, and she repeatedly broke promises to visit. The analysis was unique in that the child communicated chiefly nonverbally and responded favorably to interpretations. Pertinent developmental theory is reviewed. This case is a noteworthy example of the combination of hereditary predisposition and environmental influences in producing the depressive disorder.