A woman from Colorado has been arrested for the alleged murder of her 2-month-old son. The mother, identified as 29-year-old Anna Englund from Boulder, is facing charges of first-degree murder and child abuse resulting in death in connection with the death of her son, Miles Basellio.
Mom suffering from ‘postpartum psychosis’ charged with killing baby son https://t.co/PcnaFBKE12 pic.twitter.com/xMqw0Pkp1A
— New York Post (@nypost) June 12, 2023
The incident happened while Englund struggled with postpartum psychosis, a condition that affects a person’s sense of reality and can lead to severe behavioral changes, including hallucinations and delusions. In severe cases, individuals suffering from this condition may pose a threat to themselves or their newborns.
Before the incident, Englund’s close friend, who also served as her son’s godmother, reached out to the police out of concern for her mental well-being. The friend expressed worries about Englund’s struggle with what she believed to be postpartum depression, coupled with sleeplessness.
According to the friend, Englund had sought professional help multiple times at Boulder Community Hospital and appeared to be on the path to recovery. They were under the impression that she was doing better until she abruptly disappeared.
The father of the child had reportedly arrived at the friend’s house in distress, explaining that Englund had vanished with their son while he was using the bathroom.
“She randomly left with the baby, no shoes that we know of, grabbed her bag, left her phone, and we weren’t able to find her at any of the places she likes to go to,” the friend stated, speaking to CBS Colorado.
Concerned for the well-being of Englund and her infant, the Boulder Police Department responded to a welfare check request at her residence. To aid in the search, an “attempt to locate” bulletin was issued, urging other jurisdictions to be on the lookout for the mom and baby.
Later that evening, around 10:20 p.m., Englund’s car was spotted heading toward Boulder Community Hospital. Law enforcement officers swiftly made contact with Englund, who was then escorted to the emergency department with her baby. The infant was pronounced dead shortly before 11 p.m., despite efforts to save his life.
While the coroner’s office is yet to determine the exact cause of death, police arrested Englund based on unspecified “information and evidence.” She is being held without bond at the Boulder County Jail as the investigation unfolds.
While Englund’s friend says she was not in her right mind and is going to “hate herself” when she snaps out of the fog, the baby’s grief-stricken father claimed that she had threatened to harm herself and the baby before the incident.
“It’s weird that you can form a life with somebody and this happens and it’s like, what? You wouldn’t think that was that person,” he said.
