Colorado – In a harrowing case in Colorado, a 31-year-old mother, identified as A. Englund, has been sentenced to 40 years in prison for the death of her 2-month-old son. The young infant was strangled to death by Englund, who was experiencing severe postpartum psychosis at the time of the incident.
Englund was initially charged with first-degree murder, including the charge of first-degree murder of a victim under the age of 12 by someone in a position of trust—charges that typically carry a life sentence. However, through a plea agreement with the DA’s Office, Englund pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, resulting in the dismissal of the more severe charges. The sentencing, delivered by Judge T. Mulvahill, credited Englund with 423 days of time served, as she had been in detention since her arrest in June 2023. This plea agreement, according to District Attorney M. Dougherty, was “the right result in this very sad case,” recognizing the immense emotional impact on the baby’s father, the family, and the responding police officers.
During the court proceedings, Englund’s defense attorney, argued that failures in the mental health care system played a significant role in the tragic events. The defense emphasized that Englund deeply loved her son and family and expressed profound regret and remorse over her actions. Englund herself spoke to the court about her mental state postpartum, detailing “bizarre auditory and visual hallucinations” and violent thoughts that plagued her after giving birth.
The distressing details of the incident emerged during the trial. On June 10, police were called to conduct a welfare check at Englund’s home after reports of her possible mental health crisis. According to prosecutors, Englund seized an opportunity when the child’s father was temporarily occupied, sneaking out of the house with her son. She drove to a secluded location where she put him in her lap and strangled him to death, and then continued driving for several hours with his dead body in the vehicle. Englund eventually stopped at a parking lot at a hospital. Despite the immediate medical attention the boy received upon being discovered in the vehicle, he was pronounced dead at 10:48 p.m. Englund confessed to the police that she had strangled her 2-month-old son shortly after leaving her home because she didn’t want him to suffer in life like her.
The statement from Englund in court highlighted not only her regret but also the protective instincts of the victim’s father, who had been cautious about leaving him alone with her due to her mental state. Englund’s acknowledgment of her husband’s loss and her own failure to seek help sooner paints a poignant picture of regret and loss. “He kept our son safe. He was very cautious about not leaving him with me. I convinced him and myself that I was OK but I was still in psychosis. I’m so sorry I took fatherhood away from him and left a hole in his life,” Englund said. As Englund begins her 40-year sentence, this case serves as a somber reminder of the critical importance of mental health support for new mothers. It also underscores the need for greater awareness and resources to address postpartum conditions like psychosis, which can lead to tragic outcomes if left untreated.
