A Chevy Chase woman arrested last week in connection to the drowning death of her infant daughter is not currently competent to stand trial, a Montgomery County District Court judge ruled Monday during a bond hearing in Rockville.
Mackenzie Rose Colgan, 37, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder Dec. 8 after county police and paramedics responded to her home in the 7300 block of Summit Avenue for a report of a pediatric drowning.
During Monday’s hearing, Judge Patrick Mays ordered Colgan, who appeared in court via video livestream, to continue to be held without bond and to be committed to the Maryland Department of Health to receive psychiatric care. He also scheduled a May 27 competency hearing for Colgan to determine if she can stand trial. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Jan. 3, according to digital court records.
After her arrest, Colgan was scheduled for a Dec. 9 bond hearing, but District Court Judge Holly D. Reed III postponed the hearing until Monday, according to digital court records. Reed ordered Colgan to be held without bond and to undergo an in-patient mental health examination for competency.
Colgan’s attorney, Stephen Mercer, declined to comment to MoCo360 about the case after the hearing.
The incident
Just after noon on Dec. 8, 911 dispatchers answered a call from Colgan, who allegedly told them she had drowned her 3-month-old daughter, according to police radio transmissions. A few minutes later, dispatchers said Colgan advised them the baby was out of the water.
Upon arrival at the home, county police officers and Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service (MCFRS) paramedics found an “unresponsive infant child in or around a bathtub” in an upstairs bathroom of the residence, according to charging documents.
Prior to the drowning, Colgan allegedly went to the family room in the home, took her daughter and told family members she was going to give the infant a bath, charging documents said. Colgan then went to an upstairs bathroom. About 20 minutes later, she returned downstairs and told the infant’s father that their daughter was dead.
“The Father ran upstairs and found the Victim unresponsive in the bathtub (which was still filled with water). He then attempted to give the [infant] CPR and told [Colgan] to call 911,” the documents said.
Responding officers took Colgan into custody and she was transported to county police headquarters in Gaithersburg for questioning, the charging documents said.
Colgan elected to speak during her interview with investigators and said she woke up Sunday morning “with a plan that she was going to ‘end everything’ and kill herself,” charging documents state. She also said she intended to kill her two children and her husband.
After the drowning occurred, Colgan said she went into an upstairs bedroom intending to jump out of the second-story window, documents stated. However, “when she got out onto the ledge of the bedroom window she decided not to jump,” and went back downstairs to tell her husband what she had done.
MCFRS crews transported the infant to a local hospital where she was pronounced dead, charging documents said. The infant was then transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore where an autopsy was scheduled to occur Dec. 9 to determine the cause and manner of death, the statement said.
The autopsy results have not been made public.
Colgan has been described as a therapist, according to published reports. Her occupation is not listed in court documents, however a person with the same name is listed as a licensed clinical professional counselor on the website for Maryland State Board of Professional Counselors & Therapists.
County brings awareness to postpartum depression, psychosis
Days after Colgan’s arrest, Montgomery County Health Officer Dr. Kisha Davis urged new parents, pregnant women and their loved ones to learn about the signs of postpartum depression and psychosis. It is unclear from court proceedings whether Colgan suffered from either condition.
“Symptoms of depression after childbirth can vary and can range from mild to severe,” Davis said Friday in a news release. “Every new parent and their loved ones should know what to look for and seek help as soon as possible.”
According to the release, the causes of postpartum depression and psychosis are still not fully understood, but risk factors include a history of mental illness and hormonal and physical changes. The risks of both conditions include the mother harming herself or the baby.
Symptoms of postpartum depression may include:
- Depressed mood or severe mood swings;
- Frequent crying or tearfulness;
- Difficulty bonding with your baby;
- Withdrawing from family and friends;
- Loss of appetite or eating much more than usual;
- Inability to sleep (insomnia) or sleeping too much;
- Overwhelming tiredness or loss of energy;
- Less interest and pleasure in activities that were previously enjoyed;
- Intense irritability and anger;
- Fear of not being a good mother;
- Hopelessness;
- Feelings of worthlessness, shame, guilt or inadequacy;
- Reduced ability to think clearly, concentrate or make decisions;
- Restlessness;
- Severe anxiety and panic attacks;
- Fear of being alone with your baby;
- Thoughts of harming yourself or your baby; and
- Recurring thoughts of death or suicide.
“It is vital to recognize that these symptoms can profoundly impair judgment and understanding, leading to actions that are not reflective of the individual’s character or morality,” the release said. In addition, the symptoms of postpartum depression are “more intense and last longer” than the common postpartum “baby blues,” according to the release, and typically develop within the first few weeks after giving birth.
In general, postpartum psychosis is less common than postpartum depression, according to the release. Psychosis affects one or two out of every 1,000 women after they give birth and is characterized by “severe mood swings, hallucinations, paranoia, delusions and disorganized thinking.”
County health officials are encouraging those who may feel depressed or recognize symptoms after giving birth to ask for help from their doctors and to seek assistance from loved ones and friends, the release said.
For those who may notice the symptoms in their loved one or are worried about someone who is pregnant or has given birth, county health officials said it is important to offer direct support to them. That support can include taking care of the loved ones’ baby, calling the new mother’s primary care provider or encouraging the new mother to seek help, the release said.
Resources for those experiencing symptoms include the National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, available around the clock by phone and text at 988. The National Maternal Health Hotline at 1-833-852-6262 is also free and available at any time with services in English and Spanish. In addition, the Montgomery County Crisis Center, at 1301 Piccard Drive in Rockville, is open daily for phone calls or walk-ins and can be reached at 240-777-3000.
For more information about postpartum psychosis and other resources, visit the National Institutes of Health National Child & Maternal Health Education Program’s website or the Postpartum Support International website.
