Mother Accused In Baby’s Death Thought Son Had Autism

Anxiety that having an autistic child would financially and emotionally “ruin” her life drove a Superior mental-health counselor to asphyxiate her 6-month-old son with a plastic bag before putting blankets over his head “so that he would die,” according to court documents released Monday. “She believed that the baby was showing signs of autism,” according to an affidavit seeking a warrant for Stephanie Rochester’s arrest. “She wanted to kill herself, but did not want to burden her husband with the baby inflicted with autism.” Rochester, 34, was charged Monday with two counts of first-degree murder and child abuse resulting in death. The Boulder County District Attorney’s Office charged her with two counts of first-degree murder under two different theories — murder after deliberation, and knowingly causing the death of a child younger than 12 by a person in a position of trust, said Deputy District Attorney Adrian Van Nice. The two murder charges are punishable by life in prison or death. The child abuse charge is punishable by up to 24 years in prison. Rochester told authorities that she worked for two years as a counselor with autistic kids at Children’s Hospital and “can recognize the signs of autism.” She said she was convinced her son, Rylan, had severe autism. “This was very upsetting to Stephanie,” according to the affidavit, written by Boulder County sheriff’s Detective Mark Spurgeon. Pediatricians said Rylan was progressing normally, which frustrated Rochester …