diff --git a/src/domain/javascript/javascriptSemanticChildProcesses.test.ts b/src/domain/javascript/javascriptSemanticChildProcesses.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6e0c64aec
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/domain/javascript/javascriptSemanticChildProcesses.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,263 @@
+import { expect, it } from "vitest";
+
+import { analyzeJavaScriptSemantics } from "./javascriptSemanticAnalysis.js";
+
+const analyze = (source: string) =>
+  analyzeJavaScriptSemantics(
+    `import { spawn } from 'node:child_process';\n${source}`,
+  );
+
+it("keeps interactions before replacement resolved and later ownership uncertain", () => {
+  const ir = analyze(`
+    let child = spawn('old');
+    child.kill();
+    child = { kill() {}, on() {} };
+    child.kill();
+    child.on('exit', done);
+    const stable = spawn('stable'); stable.kill();
+  `);
+  const [old, stable] = ir.childProcessSpawns;
+  expect(ir.childProcessInteractions).toMatchObject([
+    { linkedProcessIds: [old!.processId], resolution: "complete" },
+    { linkedProcessIds: [old!.processId], resolution: "partial" },
+    { linkedProcessIds: [old!.processId], resolution: "partial" },
+    { linkedProcessIds: [stable!.processId], resolution: "complete" },
+  ]);
+});
+
+it("selects a new spawned child at each straight-line receiver read", () => {
+  const ir = analyze(`
+    let child = spawn('old'); child.kill();
+    child = spawn('new'); child.once('exit', done); child.kill();
+  `);
+  const [old, replacement] = ir.childProcessSpawns;
+  expect(ir.childProcessInteractions).toMatchObject([
+    { linkedProcessIds: [old!.processId], resolution: "complete" },
+    { linkedProcessIds: [replacement!.processId], resolution: "complete" },
+    { linkedProcessIds: [replacement!.processId], resolution: "complete" },
+  ]);
+});
+
+it("selects child ownership before and after a replacement in one expression", () => {
+  const ir = analyze(`
+    let child = spawn('old');
+    (child.kill(), child = spawn('new'));
+    child.kill();
+  `);
+  expect(ir.childProcessInteractions).toMatchObject(
+    ir.childProcessSpawns.map(({ processId }) => ({
+      linkedProcessIds: [processId],
+      resolution: "complete",
+    })),
+  );
+});
+
+it.each([
+  "class Stop { field = child.kill(); }",
+  "class Stop { #field = child.kill(); }",
+  "class Stop { ['field'] = child.kill(); }",
+  "const Stop = class { field = (0, child.kill()); };",
+  "class Stop { field = class { [child.kill()] = 0; }; }",
+  "class Stop { stop() { child.kill(); } }",
+  "class Stop { field = () => child.kill(); }",
+])(
+  "retains both child candidates across a deferred read: %s",
+  (declaration) => {
+    const ir = analyze(`
+    let child = spawn('old');
+    ${declaration}
+    child = spawn('new');
+    new Stop();
+  `);
+    expect(ir.childProcessSpawns).toHaveLength(2);
+    expect(ir.childProcessInteractions[0]?.linkedProcessIds).toHaveLength(2);
+    expect(ir.childProcessInteractions).toEqual([
+      expect.objectContaining({
+        linkedProcessIds: expect.arrayContaining(
+          ir.childProcessSpawns.map(({ processId }) => processId),
+        ),
+        resolution: "partial",
+      }),
+    ]);
+  },
+);
+
+it("does not prove an assignment-only child precedes an instance field read", () => {
+  const ir = analyze(`
+    let child;
+    child = spawn('assigned');
+    class Stop { field = child.kill(); }
+    new Stop();
+  `);
+  expect(ir.childProcessInteractions).toMatchObject([
+    {
+      linkedProcessIds: [ir.childProcessSpawns[0]!.processId],
+      resolution: "partial",
+    },
+  ]);
+});
+
+it.each([
+  "class Stop { static field = child.kill(); }",
+  "class Stop { static #field = child.kill(); }",
+  "class Stop { [child.kill()] = 0; }",
+])("resolves reads evaluated at class definition: %s", (declaration) => {
+  const ir = analyze(`
+    let child = spawn('old');
+    ${declaration}
+    child = spawn('new');
+    new Stop();
+  `);
+  expect(ir.childProcessInteractions).toMatchObject([
+    {
+      linkedProcessIds: [ir.childProcessSpawns[0]!.processId],
+      resolution: "complete",
+    },
+  ]);
+});
+
+it.each(["const", "let"])(
+  "preserves a stable %s child across an instance field read",
+  (kind) => {
+    const ir = analyze(`
+      ${kind} child = spawn('stable');
+      class Stop { field = child.kill(); }
+      new Stop();
+    `);
+    expect(ir.childProcessInteractions).toMatchObject([
+      {
+        linkedProcessIds: [ir.childProcessSpawns[0]!.processId],
+        resolution: "complete",
+      },
+    ]);
+  },
+);
+
+it("retains a saved alias at its capture and marks a late alias uncertain", () => {
+  const ir = analyze(`
+    let child = spawn('old');
+    const saved = child; const savedAgain = saved;
+    child = { kill() {}, on() {} };
+    const late = child;
+    savedAgain.kill(); saved.on('exit', done); late.kill();
+  `);
+  const child = ir.childProcessSpawns[0]!;
+  expect(ir.childProcessInteractions).toMatchObject([
+    { linkedProcessIds: [child.processId], resolution: "complete" },
+    { linkedProcessIds: [child.processId], resolution: "complete" },
+    { linkedProcessIds: [child.processId], resolution: "partial" },
+  ]);
+});
+
+it.each([
+  "if (flag) child = replacement; child.kill();",
+  "function replace() { child = replacement; } replace(); child.kill();",
+  "function use() { child.kill(); } child = replacement; use();",
+  "child &&= replacement; child.kill();",
+  "child += replacement; child.kill();",
+  "child++; child.kill();",
+  "({ child } = replacement); child.kill();",
+  "for (child of replacements) {} child.kill();",
+  "while (flag) { child.kill(); child = replacement; }",
+  "(child = replacement, child.kill());",
+])("keeps uncertain child replacement explicit: %s", (body) => {
+  const ir = analyze(`let child = spawn('old'); ${body}`);
+  expect(ir.childProcessInteractions).toHaveLength(1);
+  expect(ir.childProcessInteractions[0]).toMatchObject({
+    linkedProcessIds: [ir.childProcessSpawns[0]!.processId],
+    resolution: "partial",
+  });
+});
+
+it("does not resolve an interaction before its only spawn assignment", () => {
+  const ir = analyze(`let child; child.kill(); child = spawn('later');`);
+  expect(ir.childProcessInteractions).toMatchObject([
+    { resolution: "partial" },
+  ]);
+});
+
+it("keeps conditional spawn assignment and alias cycles uncertain", () => {
+  const ir = analyze(`
+    let child;
+    if (flag) child = spawn('possible');
+    let alias = child; child = alias;
+    alias.kill();
+  `);
+  expect(ir.childProcessInteractions).toHaveLength(1);
+  expect(ir.childProcessInteractions[0]).toMatchObject({
+    linkedProcessIds: [ir.childProcessSpawns[0]!.processId],
+    resolution: "partial",
+  });
+});
+
+it("preserves direct and stable captured children without admitting unrelated receivers", () => {
+  const ir = analyze(`
+    spawn('direct').kill();
+    const child = spawn('captured'); function stop() { child.kill(); }
+    { const child = { kill() {} }; child.kill(); }
+  `);
+  expect(ir.childProcessInteractions).toHaveLength(2);
+  expect(
+    ir.childProcessInteractions.every(
+      ({ resolution }) => resolution === "complete",
+    ),
+  ).toBe(true);
+});
+
+it("keeps a default parameter child uncertain when a caller can supply another handle", () => {
+  const ir = analyze(`
+    function stop(child = spawn('fallback')) {
+      child.kill(); child.on('exit', done);
+    }
+    stop({ kill() {}, on() {} });
+  `);
+  expect(ir.childProcessInteractions).toMatchObject([
+    {
+      linkedProcessIds: [ir.childProcessSpawns[0]!.processId],
+      resolution: "partial",
+    },
+    {
+      linkedProcessIds: [ir.childProcessSpawns[0]!.processId],
+      resolution: "partial",
+    },
+  ]);
+});
+
+it("preserves the admitted scalar identity of an awaited spawn result", () => {
+  const ir = analyze(`
+    const child = await spawn('stable'); child.kill();
+  `);
+  expect(ir.childProcessInteractions).toMatchObject([
+    {
+      linkedProcessIds: [ir.childProcessSpawns[0]!.processId],
+      resolution: "complete",
+    },
+  ]);
+});
+
+it.each([
+  "let child; function launch() { child = spawn('later'); } const alias = child; alias.kill();",
+  "let child; { const alias = child; alias.kill(); } child = spawn('later');",
+  "{ const alias = child; alias.kill(); } var child = spawn('later');",
+])("keeps initialization across different bodies uncertain: %s", (source) => {
+  const ir = analyze(source);
+  expect(ir.childProcessInteractions).toMatchObject([
+    {
+      linkedProcessIds: [ir.childProcessSpawns[0]!.processId],
+      resolution: "partial",
+    },
+  ]);
+});
+
+it("resolves an unconditional assignment before the read in the same function body", () => {
+  const ir = analyze(`function stop() {
+    let child; child = spawn('first'); child.kill();
+    child = spawn('second'); child.kill();
+  }`);
+  expect(ir.childProcessInteractions).toMatchObject(
+    ir.childProcessSpawns.map(({ processId }) => ({
+      linkedProcessIds: [processId],
+      resolution: "complete",
+    })),
+  );
+});
diff --git a/src/domain/javascript/javascriptSemanticChildProcesses.ts b/src/domain/javascript/javascriptSemanticChildProcesses.ts
index 45d15f571..9e3c0489a 100644
--- a/src/domain/javascript/javascriptSemanticChildProcesses.ts
+++ b/src/domain/javascript/javascriptSemanticChildProcesses.ts
@@ -13,12 +13,14 @@ import {
 import {
   isUnshadowedGlobal,
   resolveSemanticBindingState,
+  semanticStableInitializer,
   type JavaScriptSemanticAnalysisState,
   type JavaScriptSemanticBindingState,
 } from "./javascriptSemanticState.js";
 import { compareUnicodeCodePoints } from "../unicodeCodePointOrder.js";
 import { traverseJavaScriptAst } from "./javascriptSemanticTraversal.js";
 import { range } from "./javascriptStaticAnalysisHelpers.js";
+import { semanticBindingAtRead } from "./javascriptSemanticMutationInitializers.js";
 import {
   builtinDataEffectMethod,
   dataEffectLiteralString,
@@ -193,20 +195,18 @@ const childInteraction = (
   ownerCallableId: string | null,
   context: ChildInteractionContext,
 ): JavaScriptSemanticChildProcessInteraction | null => {
-  const { state, spawnByNode, spawnsByBinding } = context;
+  const { state } = context;
   const member = dataEffectMemberCallee(node);
   if (member === null) return null;
   const method = semanticStaticPropertyName(member.property, member.computed);
-  const binding = objectBinding(member.object, state);
-  const linked = resolveChildCandidates(
-    member.object,
-    binding,
-    spawnByNode,
-    spawnsByBinding,
-  );
-  if (linked.length === 0) return null;
   const classification = classifyInteraction(method, node.arguments[0]);
   if (classification === null) return null;
+  const binding = objectBinding(member.object, state);
+  const { candidates: linked, complete } = resolveChildCandidates(
+    member.object,
+    context,
+  );
+  if (linked.length === 0) return null;
   const { kind, interactionMethod, eventName } = classification;
   const listener = node.arguments[1];
   return {
@@ -224,13 +224,7 @@ const childInteraction = (
       kind === "signal" ? killSignalName(node.arguments, state) : null,
     listenerLocation:
       kind === "listener" && t.isNode(listener) ? range(listener) : null,
-    resolution:
-      linked.length === 1 &&
-      !linked[0]?.projectedResultBindings.some(
-        ({ bindingId }) => bindingId === binding?.bindingId,
-      )
-        ? "complete"
-        : "partial",
+    resolution: complete ? "complete" : "partial",
   };
 };
 
@@ -291,15 +285,86 @@ const childProcessMethod = (
 
 const resolveChildCandidates = (
   node: t.Node,
-  binding: JavaScriptSemanticBindingState | undefined,
-  spawnByNode: WeakMap<t.Node, SpawnCandidate>,
-  spawnsByBinding: ReadonlyMap<string, readonly SpawnCandidate[]>,
-): readonly SpawnCandidate[] => {
-  const direct = spawnByNode.get(node);
-  if (direct !== undefined) return [direct];
-  return binding === undefined
-    ? []
-    : (spawnsByBinding.get(binding.bindingId) ?? []);
+  context: ChildInteractionContext,
+): {
+  readonly candidates: readonly SpawnCandidate[];
+  readonly complete: boolean;
+} => {
+  const { state, spawnByNode, spawnsByBinding } = context;
+  const candidates = new Set<SpawnCandidate>();
+  const fallback = new Set<SpawnCandidate>();
+  const pending = [node];
+  const visited = new Set<t.Node>();
+  let complete = true;
+  while (pending.length > 0) {
+    const current = unwrapJavaScriptExpression(pending.pop()!).node;
+    if (visited.has(current)) {
+      complete = false;
+      continue;
+    }
+    visited.add(current);
+    // Spawn-result assignment already admits await as an identity wrapper.
+    if (t.isAwaitExpression(current)) {
+      pending.push(current.argument);
+      continue;
+    }
+    const direct = spawnByNode.get(current);
+    if (direct !== undefined) {
+      candidates.add(direct);
+      continue;
+    }
+    const binding = t.isIdentifier(current)
+      ? resolveSemanticBindingState(state, current, current.name)
+      : undefined;
+    if (binding === undefined) {
+      complete = false;
+      continue;
+    }
+    for (const candidate of spawnsByBinding.get(binding.bindingId) ?? [])
+      fallback.add(candidate);
+    // An alias captures its source at its initializer read, not at the later
+    // interaction. The shared selector retains all sources across uncertain
+    // control flow, loops and writes in other activations.
+    const snapshot = semanticBindingAtRead(
+      binding,
+      current,
+      state.parentsByNode,
+    );
+    const selected = snapshot.binding;
+    const initializers = [
+      ...selected.initializers,
+      ...selected.referenceInitializers,
+    ];
+    // Defaults and other reference sources do not exclude a caller-supplied
+    // value, even when they are the binding's only retained source.
+    if (initializers.length !== 1 || selected.referenceInitializers.length > 0)
+      complete = false;
+    const stable = semanticStableInitializer(binding, state);
+    for (const initializer of initializers) {
+      if (state.conditionallySkippedExpressions.has(initializer.node))
+        complete = false;
+      if (initializer.projection.length > 0) {
+        complete = false;
+        continue;
+      }
+      // A lone assignment can still be later or belong to another activation.
+      // Only initialized lexical declarations exclude an earlier undefined value
+      // without a same-body ordering proof.
+      if (
+        !(stable === initializer && !binding.declarationKinds.has("var")) &&
+        snapshot.status !== "ordered"
+      )
+        complete = false;
+      pending.push(initializer.node);
+    }
+  }
+  // Preserve historical candidates with explicit uncertainty when the selected
+  // value cannot be established; a binding inventory alone never proves identity.
+  if (!complete) for (const candidate of fallback) candidates.add(candidate);
+  return {
+    candidates: [...candidates],
+    complete: complete && candidates.size === 1,
+  };
 };
 const spawnOptions = (candidate: SpawnCandidate): t.ObjectExpression | null => {
   const args = candidate.node.arguments;
diff --git a/src/domain/javascript/javascriptSemanticMutationInitializers.test.ts b/src/domain/javascript/javascriptSemanticMutationInitializers.test.ts
index 8a6179243..d1b89be7c 100644
--- a/src/domain/javascript/javascriptSemanticMutationInitializers.test.ts
+++ b/src/domain/javascript/javascriptSemanticMutationInitializers.test.ts
@@ -1,11 +1,74 @@
 import * as t from "@babel/types";
 import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
 
-import { semanticMutationInitializers } from "./javascriptSemanticMutationInitializers.js";
+import {
+  semanticBindingAtRead,
+  semanticMutationInitializers,
+  semanticTopLevelEffectFollowsCapture,
+} from "./javascriptSemanticMutationInitializers.js";
 import type { JavaScriptSemanticBindingState } from "./javascriptSemanticState.js";
 import { traverseJavaScriptAst } from "./javascriptSemanticTraversal.js";
 import { parseJavaScriptSource } from "./javascriptSourceParser.js";
 
+it.each([
+  ["public value", false, false],
+  ["private value", false, false],
+  ["accessor value", false, false],
+  ["public value", true, true],
+  ["private value", true, true],
+  ["accessor value", true, true],
+  ["public key", false, true],
+  ["accessor key", false, true],
+] as const)(
+  "orders %s reads with static=%s only when evaluated at class definition",
+  (kind, isStatic, ordered) => {
+    const initializer = t.numericLiteral(1);
+    const read = t.identifier("child");
+    const inKey = kind.endsWith("key");
+    const key = inKey ? read : t.identifier("field");
+    const value = inKey ? t.numericLiteral(0) : read;
+    const field = kind.startsWith("private")
+      ? t.classPrivateProperty(t.privateName(t.identifier("field")), value)
+      : kind.startsWith("accessor")
+        ? t.classAccessorProperty(key, value, null, null, inKey)
+        : t.classProperty(key, value, null, null, inKey);
+    field.static = isStatic;
+    const program = t.program([
+      t.variableDeclaration("let", [
+        t.variableDeclarator(t.identifier("child"), initializer),
+      ]),
+      t.classDeclaration(t.identifier("Stop"), null, t.classBody([field])),
+    ]);
+    const parents = new WeakMap<t.Node, t.Node>();
+    traverseJavaScriptAst(program, {
+      enter: (node, parent) => {
+        if (parent !== null) parents.set(node, parent);
+      },
+    });
+    const binding: JavaScriptSemanticBindingState = {
+      bindingId: "program:child",
+      scopeId: "program",
+      name: "child",
+      kind: "variable",
+      declarationKinds: new Set(["let"]),
+      mutable: true,
+      memberWrites: [],
+      escapedPaths: [],
+      definitions: [],
+      initializers: [{ node: initializer, projection: [] }],
+      referenceInitializers: [],
+      directOrigins: [],
+      runtimeImport: false,
+    };
+    expect(semanticBindingAtRead(binding, read, parents).status).toBe(
+      ordered ? "ordered" : "unresolved",
+    );
+    expect(
+      semanticTopLevelEffectFollowsCapture(initializer, read, parents),
+    ).toBe(ordered);
+  },
+);
+
 describe("parameter references copied into function body bindings", () => {
   it.each([
     ["var arg = []; mutate(arg);", false],
diff --git a/tests/acceptance/applications/javascriptChildHandleOwnership.test.ts b/tests/acceptance/applications/javascriptChildHandleOwnership.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..19fc88ab9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/acceptance/applications/javascriptChildHandleOwnership.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,143 @@
+import { execFile } from "node:child_process";
+import { mkdir, writeFile } from "node:fs/promises";
+import { join } from "node:path";
+import { promisify } from "node:util";
+
+import { expect, it } from "vitest";
+
+import { parseEvidence } from "../../../src/domain/evidence.js";
+import { javascriptApplicationAnalysisResultSchema } from "../../../src/domain/javascript/javascriptApplicationAnalysis.js";
+import { createTestTempDirectory } from "../../fixtures/temporaryDirectory.js";
+import { connectLocalToolsMcp } from "../../fixtures/localToolsMcp.js";
+
+const analyzeThroughCliAndMcp = async (source: string) => {
+  const root = await createTestTempDirectory("rea-child-ownership-");
+  const app = join(root, "app");
+  const home = join(root, "home");
+  await mkdir(app);
+  await mkdir(home);
+  await writeFile(join(app, "main.mjs"), source);
+  const { stdout } = await promisify(execFile)(
+    process.execPath,
+    [
+      "scripts/rea.mjs",
+      "analyze-javascript-application",
+      app,
+      "--format",
+      "json",
+    ],
+    {
+      cwd: process.cwd(),
+      env: { ...process.env, HOME: home },
+      maxBuffer: 16 * 1024 * 1024,
+    },
+  );
+  const evidence = parseEvidence(JSON.parse(stdout));
+  const { client, call } = await connectLocalToolsMcp({ HOME: home });
+  const response = await call("analyze_javascript_application", {
+    input_path: app,
+    format: "auto",
+  });
+  expect(response.isError, JSON.stringify(response)).not.toBe(true);
+  expect(response.structuredContent).toEqual(evidence);
+  await client.ping();
+  return evidence;
+};
+
+it("preserves child ownership uncertainty after replacement through CLI and MCP", async () => {
+  const evidence = await analyzeThroughCliAndMcp(
+    `import { spawn } from 'node:child_process';
+let child = spawn('program');
+child = { kill() {}, on() {} };
+child.kill();
+child.on('exit', () => {});
+const stable = spawn('program');
+stable.kill();
+`,
+  );
+  const { semantic_graph: graph } =
+    javascriptApplicationAnalysisResultSchema.parse(evidence.normalized_result);
+  const nodes = new Map(graph.nodes.map((node) => [node.node_id, node]));
+  const ownership = graph.relations.filter(({ relation }) =>
+    ["forwards-signal", "listens-exit"].includes(relation),
+  );
+  expect(
+    ownership.map((relation) => ({
+      relation: relation.relation,
+      resolution: relation.resolution,
+      sourceLine: nodes.get(relation.source_node_id)?.identity.source_range
+        ?.start.line,
+      targetLine: nodes.get(relation.target_node_id)?.identity.source_range
+        ?.start.line,
+    })),
+  ).toEqual(
+    expect.arrayContaining([
+      {
+        relation: "forwards-signal",
+        resolution: "candidate",
+        sourceLine: 4,
+        targetLine: 2,
+      },
+      {
+        relation: "listens-exit",
+        resolution: "candidate",
+        sourceLine: 2,
+        targetLine: 5,
+      },
+      {
+        relation: "forwards-signal",
+        resolution: "resolved",
+        sourceLine: 7,
+        targetLine: 6,
+      },
+    ]),
+  );
+  expect(ownership).toHaveLength(3);
+  expect(
+    graph.unknowns.filter(
+      ({ family, reason }) =>
+        family === "child-process" && reason === "ambiguous-target",
+    ),
+  ).toHaveLength(2);
+}, 60000);
+
+it("keeps deferred instance field child ownership uncertain through CLI and MCP", async () => {
+  const evidence = await analyzeThroughCliAndMcp(
+    `import { spawn } from 'node:child_process';
+let child = spawn('old');
+class Stop { field = child.kill(); }
+child = spawn('new');
+new Stop();
+const stable = spawn('stable');
+stable.kill();
+`,
+  );
+  const { semantic_graph: graph } =
+    javascriptApplicationAnalysisResultSchema.parse(evidence.normalized_result);
+  const nodes = new Map(graph.nodes.map((node) => [node.node_id, node]));
+  const ownership = graph.relations.filter(
+    ({ relation }) => relation === "forwards-signal",
+  );
+  expect(ownership).toHaveLength(3);
+  expect(
+    ownership.map((relation) => ({
+      resolution: relation.resolution,
+      sourceLine: nodes.get(relation.source_node_id)?.identity.source_range
+        ?.start.line,
+      targetLine: nodes.get(relation.target_node_id)?.identity.source_range
+        ?.start.line,
+    })),
+  ).toEqual(
+    expect.arrayContaining([
+      { resolution: "candidate", sourceLine: 3, targetLine: 2 },
+      { resolution: "candidate", sourceLine: 3, targetLine: 4 },
+      { resolution: "resolved", sourceLine: 7, targetLine: 6 },
+    ]),
+  );
+  expect(
+    graph.unknowns.filter(
+      ({ family, reason }) =>
+        family === "child-process" && reason === "ambiguous-target",
+    ),
+  ).toHaveLength(1);
+}, 60000);