Skip to main content

Colorado mental-health counselor charged with murdering infant son - The Denver Post

Colorado mental-health counselor charged with murdering infant son - The Denver Post

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

BOULDER, Colo. — 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.
What can be said about this? It is troubling; I can already imagine various responses:
  • Eventually, a genetic screen would help prevent this. (or…)
  • This is why screening would be dangerous.
  • Some people think autism is worse than death.
  • This woman must be mentally ill.
  • And so on, and so on…
I think this woman was simply a self-absorbed, immature, malignant narcissist. If she had committed suicide, I'd not assume the same level of narcissism -- but clearly she didn't want to sacrifice anything impinging on her "fun" in the end. That's disturbing. This woman would have felt the same way with a "normal" child over time. Children are always an effort and demand personal sacrifices of their parents.

As for the autism angle, I've read to many news reports like this. It's not always an infant, either.

The argument of would a screening been "better" than murder is a debate I can't engage. Down Syndrome is the parallel. Given a choice, clearly parents have overwhelmingly opted to terminate pregnancies. That does concern me. I have no easy answer.

This story, however, is plain and simple murder of a child. I know some "noted ethicists" (Peter Singer) have argued early infanticide is somehow different. No, it's murder.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Comments violating the policies of this blog will not be approved for posting. Language and content should be appropriate for all readers and maintain a polite tone. Thank you.

Popular posts from this blog

Autistic Burnout

Summer demands a lot of social energy, especially for parents. For autistics, the never-ending social calendar of summer can cause serious autistic burnout. Host C. S. Wyatt discusses his need to find a balance between social demands and self-care. Check out this episode!
Post a Comment
Read more

Kumar and Amit Ramlall

Recorded 13 October 2023 The Chintan Project empowers businesses to discover their larger purpose, draw strength from the challenges they face, and leverage their unique offering to impact the world. https://www.chintanproject.com Amit Chintan Ramlall, Autistic Polymath and Consultant Dr. Kumar Ramlall, Medical Doctor and Father of Amit Pratima Ramlall, Ph.D., Scientist and Mother of Amit Pratima and Kumar decided to name their son: “Amit” meaning Infinite in Sanskrit, and “Chintan” meaning Thinking. Dr. Kumar Ramlall, CEO and Co-Founder Chintan Project “The Human Behavior Advisors” The Autistic Me: Blog:  https://www.tameri.com/autisticme/ Podcast:  https://autisticme.libsyn.com/neurodiversity Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/autisticme/ Twitter:  https://twitter.com/autisticme YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/c/CSWyatt LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/autisticme   Check out this episode!
Post a Comment
Read more

Alex Plank and Jenny Palmiotto discuss "An Eventing with Ezra"

The film Ezra follows Max Bernal (Bobby Cannavale), a stand-up comedian living with his father (Robert De Niro), while struggling to co-parent his autistic son Ezra (introducing William Fitzgerald) with his ex-wife (Rose Byrne). Alex Plank, Associate Producer Alex Plank is a trailblazing autistic self-advocate and a pioneering leader in the autistic human rights. As an associate producer of the critically acclaimed movie 'Ezra,' Alex has made significant strides in both behind-the-scenes and on-camera roles. He is a champion of authentic and humanistic representation of autistic individuals in the film industry. With a deep commitment to challenging ableism, Alex advocates for a world where autistic people are valued and respected. This commitment extends to a broader condemnation of ableism in all its forms, with a specific focus on dismantling the barriers within the film industry that marginalize autistic talent and narratives. Jenny Palmiotto – Founder of Love & Aut...
Post a Comment
Read more