Boulder coroner: Rochester's infant son 'well-developed and well-nouri

August 10, 2010

Boulder coroner: Rochester's infant son 'well-developed and

well-nourished' before death

By , Camera staff writer

Posted: 08/10/2010 01:47:57 PM MDT

When the Boulder County Coroner's Office conducted an autopsy on 6-month-old

Rylan Rochester in June, investigators found him to be a " well-developed and

well-nourished " infant, according to an autopsy report made public today.

The Boulder County Coroner's Office ruled that Rylan died of asphyxia by

suffocation. The manner of his dead was homicide, according to the Coroner's

Office. His mother, Rochester, was arrested June 1 and charged with

first-degree murder and child abuse resulting in death.

She told detectives that she believed her baby had autism and that having an

autistic child would emotionally and financially " ruin " her life.

When Rylan's parents found the infant unresponsive and not breathing in his crib

early June 1, he was still warm, according to the infant's autopsy report. He

arrived to a local emergency room about 6:20 a.m. and pronounced dead at 6:45

a.m.

Rochester, who worked for two years as a counselor with autistic kids

at Children's Hospital, told investigators that she was convinced Rylan had

autism and that his pediatrician had not taken her concerns seriously. But a

well-baby exam on May 17 indicated the infant was " developmentally up to date, "

according to the autopsy report.

Rochester expressed concerns to a pediatrician about development on May 25,

according to the report, and on May 31, the parents took him to an urgent care

clinic with concerns that the infant was lethargic. They left before being seen,

and Rochester later admitted to investigators that she intentionally smothered

him at various times throughout the evening May 31 and into the early hours of

June 1.

Her preliminary hearing is scheduled for Sept. 8.

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