The lawyer representing a Seymour woman accused of choking her 8‑day-old son said she suffers from post-partum depression and may not “understand everything at this point.”
State police July 15 charged the woman, Ashley Donovan, 23, with first-degree assault, second-degree strangulation, risk of injury to a child, first-degree reckless endangerment, and interfering with an officer.
Police reports in the case say Donovan became combative while riding in her boyfriend’s car near the Beacon Falls town line July 15, then choked her infant son as police responding to the scene were trying to get the child away from her.
According to a police report, Donovan called the officers devils and yelled things such as “God will protect me and my baby,” “God understands, he understands why I am doing this,” as she squeezed her newborn, turning him purple.
Mental Health An Issue
Donovan seemed unsteady on her feet as she was led from lockup into the courtroom at the Superior courthouse in Derby Tuesday. She had gauze taped to the crook of her elbow where an IV had been inserted into her arm.
She was represented by Public Defender Bruce Weiant, who told a judge about some of his client’s apparent mental health problems.
“I know they’re very serious charges, but it does appear to be a case of post-partum depression,” Weiant said.
Weiant indicated she has severe mental health issues, saying he was “very concerned” Donovan was even brought into court Tuesday. He doubted she understood much of what was going on.
Prosecutor John Kerwin said the case would be transferred to Superior Court in Milford, which handles more serious matters.
Judge Charles Lee then continued the case to Wednesday (July 24) for Donovan to appear in Milford.
‘Trying To Kill The Infant’
According to police reports in the case, state police and Seymour police were sent to the area of Rimmon Hill Road in Beacon Falls near the town line with Seymour about 6 p.m. July 15 on a report of a possible domestic dispute.
Seymour Police Officer James Duda was the first officer on the scene, and found Donovan in the middle of the street, holding her 8‑day-old son in her arms.
Donovan refused Duda’s request to get to the side of the road, then started walking away from him, according to the report.
By that point Seymour Police Sgt. Dave Parratt had arrived, and started following Donovan down the road.
At the same time, Donovan’s boyfriend approached Duda and told him that Donovan was suffering from post-partum depression, was not taking medications prescribed for her, and “was trying to kill the infant.”
Donovan’s boyfriend later told state police that the couple was returning from an Oxford reservoir when Donovan started “flipping out” in the car and trying to jump out of it while it was moving, so the man pulled over. Donovan grabbed the child, got out of the car, then allegedly started slapping her boyfriend and grabbing for his car keys.
Duda and Parratt tried to get the baby away from Donovan, but she squeezed the child to her chest, then “began choking the infant,” the report says.
The baby’s face turned red, then purple.
The two police officers were eventually able to wrestle the child away from Donovan, after which he was rushed to Waterbury Hospital. A nurse later told a state trooper investigating the case that the baby suffered some bruises, but no serious injuries.
Donovan’s boyfriend later told police that she suffers from other mental problems and had stopped taking her medications for those issues when she became pregnant.
Seymour police spokesman Lt. Paul Satkowski did not return two calls for comment.
