Friend says Anna Louise Englund, Colorado mom charged with killing baby, was struggling with postpartum depression

By OLIVIA YOUNG

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    BOULDER, Colorado (KCNC) — A Boulder mother is behind bars on murder charges in the death of her two-month-old son. Saturday afternoon, a welfare check was called on 29-year-old Anna Louise Englund, due to concerns she could be having a mental health crisis. One of the people who called for that welfare check is Englund’s close friend, former roommate, neighbor and godmother to her baby.

That friend asked CBS Colorado not to show her face or name, but wanted everyone to know about Englund and her baby, Miles. The friend says Englund was struggling with postpartum depression. She says Englund had symptoms like insomnia, but never talked about hurting her baby.

“She was working with a therapist on it, and seemed to be getting better, we thought she was better and then all of a sudden she just took off,” the friend said.

Mid-day Saturday, she got a frantic knock on her door from Englund’s boyfriend, Miles’ father.

“He came crying at my door,” the friend said.

He said he came back from using the bathroom to find Englund and his son gone from their home.

“She randomly left with the baby, no shoes that we know of, grabbed her bag, left her phone, and we weren’t able to find her at any of the places she likes to go to,” the friend said.

That’s when the friend and the boyfriend called police to initiate that welfare check.

That evening, Boulder police found Englund driving to Boulder Community Hospital. Her baby was pronounced dead just before 11 p.m. and Englund was taken into custody.

Heartbreakingly, the friend had not heard the news of Miles’ death and was told by CBS Colorado.

“I was hoping it wouldn’t happen and was staying optimistic, but I always knew it would be a possibility,” the friend said, “I’m so sad.”

The friend plans to help Miles’ father with funeral arrangements and says she will stand by Englund.

“I’ll still try to be there for her, I know at some point when she does come to her senses she’s going to hate herself and feel guilty,” the friend said.

Now she’s calling for more awareness about postpartum depression.

“I wish it would have been something she either told me or her boyfriend and we would have been there for her more but she didn’t think it was normal or that she could talk to anybody,” the friend said.

Right now Englund is in jail on two counts of first degree murder and one of child abuse resulting in death. Miles’ cause of death is pending an autopsy.

“Our hearts are with the child’s family during this terrible and difficult time,” said Boulder Police Chief Maris Herold. “This is a tragic situation, and we are thinking about the child’s loved ones as they grieve all that has happened.”

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