Police: Autism was motive in Colo. child's killing

[n2doc]

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

(06-08) 09:45 PDT Boulder, Colo. (AP) --

Police say a woman accused of killing her infant son did it because she believed the boy was autistic and thought his condition would "ruin" her life.

Stephanie Rochester, 34, was charged Monday with murder in the June 1 suffocation death of her 6-month-old son, Rylan. According to an affidavit seeking her arrest, Rochester wanted to commit suicide but didn't want to "burden her husband" with the potentially autistic boy.

The affidavit says that the night before the infant died, Stephanie and Lloyd Rochester "talked about how they wanted to have fun in life."

"Stephanie said that she knew they would not have fun while they were caring for a severely autistic child," according to the affidavit, written by Boulder County sheriff's Detective Mark Spurgeon.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2010/06/08/national/a092427D70.DTL&tsp=1

Well she can have lots and lots of "fun" in prison. Hopefully for a long time.

[Liberal_in_LA]

1. how horrible

[Liberal_in_LA]

2. "Pediatricians said Rylan was progressing normally."

Seems mom was just crazy

[Barack_America]

3. PPD/psychosis?

[lumberjack_jeff]

4. Or maybe she is just a criminal. n/t

[Arkansas Granny]

5. It makes you wonder. As appalling as her act is, this could be the underlying cause.

The statements in the article make it sound like she was not acting in a rational manner.
This is a tragic situation for all involved and an innocent baby is dead. Sad, sad, sad.

[seabeyond]

6. sounds like the ever more present selfishness of our society. nt

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

7. A 6 month old with autism?

[proud2BlibKansan]

10. No way

The earliest it can be detected is about 18 months I believe.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

11. That's usually the first routine check for it.

They'll ask the parents things like if the baby smiles or shows affection. Six month olds don't.

I believe there's a new urine screen coming for at least some forms of autism, but I'm sure that's got nothing to do with this case.

[Tumbulu]

8. This sounds like post partum depression

and there are plenty of mom's who get it.

There is no way a person can predict how they will feel once they have a child to care for and there needs to be a very strong social safety net for anyone who goes through the feelings described by this woman.

It seems to me that there needs to be a way for people going through illnesses to be able to leave their child in the care of someone else while they recover.

Or give the child up permanently.

[Mnemosyne]

9. Most likely post-partum psychosis, my sister had it and

we worried, and acted, when she first commented that she "understands why women kill their children". It was a very scary year!

[Odin2005]

12. Sounds like the attitude of many who think us autistics need to be "cured".

"NOOOO, may baby is not who I wanteed him/her to be, my life is RUINED!!!"

Selfish parents suck!

[proud2BlibKansan]

13. Not just autism

I have met many parents who think their lives were ruined by having a child with disabilities.

[Lilith Velkor]

15. Back in the day, the mother was always blamed.

Is that still the case?

[proud2BlibKansan]

16. I think it's more likely that a mother would blame herself.

[LeftishBrit]

14. Apart from all other considerations, how can you tell that a 6-month-old is autistic?

The condition cannot be diagnosed until about 18 months at earliest.

[jillan]

17. That is sick! If she really felt that way there are other options.

[proteus_lives]

18. How awful.

This monster can "fun" in prison.