x
Breaking News
More () »

Woman charged in child's death found competent to stand trial

Anna Englund was ruled competent to stand trial in the death of her 2-month-old son Miles Basellio, despite a doctor finding her incompetent, court documents show.

BOULDER, Colo. — Editor's note: The story below includes details that readers might find disturbing.

A mother charged in the June death of her 2-month-old son in Boulder County this week was ruled competent to stand trial, despite an expert's finding she was incompetent, according to court documents.

Anna Englund faces charges of first-degree murder, first-degree murder - victim under 12, and child abuse resulting in death after Miles Basellio died June 10, court records show.

According to Dr. Marla Domino's report, she determined Englund "was found not competent to proceed but is restorable within the foreseeable future," court documents show.

However, the order issued by District Court Judge Patrick Butler says he determined Englund was competent to proceed after considering evidence presented at a Sept. 8 hearing, statutory criteria and the burden of proof.

>Video above from June: Dad says postpartum psychosis led to death of 2-month-old child.

Domino diagnosed Englund with major depressive disorder, which was described as a "major illness." 

She found Englund "did have a rational and factual understanding of the proceedings," court documents say. "She also found that she was not able to rationally assist her counsel, and therefore was incompetent."

Domino also found Englund expressed not wanting to work with her attorneys to achieve any outcome other than a life sentence in prison.

"Defendant reported having fairly significant sadness, hopelessness, guilt, weight loss, appetite change, sleep disturbance and loss of energy," the court order reads. "Defendant also expressed feeling worthless."

Domino also found that Englund was "minimizing her symptoms of depression" during the evaluation and that Englund "believed she was competent."

However, Butler said in his ruling that Englund "seems to be able to have effective communications with her attorneys and is able to assist her counsel."

"Defendant likes her attorneys and believes they are good attorneys, but she does not always agree with them on how to proceed in her case," Butler said in the order. "In short, the Court finds that Defendant has the present 'ability' to communicate and assist her attorneys effectively but 'chooses' not to do so at all times."

Credit: Family of Miles Basellio
Miles Basellio

Around 4:30 June 10, officers responded to a home in north Boulder for a welfare check on a woman who was possibly having a mental health crisis, police said.

The infant's father said he saw Anna Englund take their 2-month-old and drive away. Officers issued an attempt-to-locate alert for Englund to nearby law enforcement agencies.

The man told police he was concerned for the child's wellbeing due to Englund's postpartum mental health.

Englund's car was spotted about 10:20 p.m. headed toward Boulder Community Hospital, police said. Officers contacted Englund in the hospital parking lot and rushed the child into the emergency department, police said.

The child was pronounced dead at 10:48 p.m., according to police.

According to the affidavit, when contacted at the hospital, Englund said, "I killed my child." She said she hadn't been able to enter a deep sleep for roughly three weeks and "did not believe she would survive the sleep problem."

She went on to say that she did not "want him [her son] to suffer in life like I have."

Englund said that while the boy's father was in the bathroom, she "became anxious" because "she didn't want to be a murderer but didn't want him to suffer," the affidavit says.

She took the child and drove off. She said she strangled the child in the vehicle around noon and then intended to take her own life. When contacted later at the hospital, she had a small laceration to her neck, which she described as a self-inflicted wound.

Credit: Family of Miles Basellio
Miles Basellio

> Watch 9NEWS original shows, live Colorado news and weather updates, daily forecasts, and sports coverage for free on the 9NEWS+ app on Roku and Fire TV.  

SUGGESTED VIDEOSLatest from 9NEWS

Watch more from 9NEWS on the free 9NEWS+ app for Roku and Fire TV.      

9NEWS+ has multiple live daily shows including 9NEWS Mornings, Next with Kyle Clark and 9NEWS+ Daily, an original streaming program. 9NEWS+ is where you can watch live breaking news, weather updates, and press conferences. You can also replay recent newscasts and find videos on demand of our top stories, local politics, investigations and Colorado specific features.      

To download 9NEWS+ on Roku search for KUSA.       

To download 9NEWS+ on Fire TV search for 9NEWS.     

RELATED: Watch 9NEWS for free on ROKU, Apple TV, Fire TV 

Before You Leave, Check This Out