Dead Baby's Dad: Mom Can "Burn in Hell"

(AP)  The father of a newborn baby who authorities say was mutilated, killed and cannibalized by his mother said Tuesday he wants to see her executed.

Scott W. Buchholz told The Associated Press that Otty Sanchez, the mother of 3½-week-old Scotty Wesley Buchholz-Sanchez, seemed fine in the days before the killing, even though they argued. However, he said she told him she had been diagnosed with postpartum depression and was going to be admitted to a hospital for treatment.

Sanchez's relatives told The San Antonio Express News that she had been diagnosed with postpartum psychosis, which can cause delusional thoughts and hallucinations.

Sanchez, 33, is charged with capital murder in the baby's death and could face the death penalty. When authorities found the infant's body Sunday, Sanchez told officers the devil made her do it, police said.

"She killed my son. She should burn in hell," Buchholz said.

Otty Sanchez's aunt, Gloria Sanchez, told The Associated Press that her niece had been "in and out" of a psychiatric ward, and that the hospital called several months ago to check up on her.

Sanchez was hospitalized Tuesday with self-inflicted stab wounds and was being held on $1 million bail. Police have said she does not have an attorney. Authorities found the baby with three of his toes chewed off, his face torn away and his head was severed.

Otty Sanchez's sister and her sister's two children, ages 5 and 7, were in the house at the time, but none were harmed.

Sanchez and Buchholz lived together during the pregnancy and the first two weeks after their son was born, he said. An infection complicated Sanchez's recovery from giving birth, and she was required to use a catheter for about a week. That setback darkened her mood, and she was soon diagnosed with postpartum depression.

She moved out of the couple's shared home July 20. On Saturday, she showed up to see Buchholz at his parents' house. She became agitated when he told her he needed a copy of the baby's birth certificate and Social Security card, Buchholz said.

Sanchez ran out of the home with her son in a car seat, threw the car seat into the front passenger seat of her car and sped away without buckling him in, the San Antonio Express-News reported. She left behind a diaper bag, her purse and her medication.

Buchholz's mother called police, and a sheriff's deputy investigated the incident as a disturbance, according to court records. The next day, authorities said, she killed her son.

Officers called to Sanchez's house at about 5 a.m. Sunday found her sitting on the couch screaming "I killed my baby! I killed my baby!" San Antonio Police Chief William McManus said.

McManus described the crime scene as so grisly that police officers barely spoke to each other while looking through the house.

[raven1949-2009]

Ok. Wait a minute! It sounds like the old business of hind sight is 20-20. They "could have, should have". The mom has severe Postpartum psychosis, and a history of being " in and out" of mental hospitals "preceding" the birth of the child. She was living with her sister. Her sister was in the house when this happened. She was going back to the mentaL hospital. The baby's father is Schizophrenic. The police checked on her the day before this happened. It sounds to me like people were trying to be responsible for her and her child. The situation was a nightmare for the family before this happened. Now who was supposed to do what? What if at the end of the day it is a tragedy? Why lay more burdens on the father and the family? I have no doubt that they all feel like this is a living hell.

[differnet]

Exactly raven. But it also means that we have to keep trying to do better. I wonder if this women had health insurance? I wonder if she was on some medications that interacted with her brain chemistry. There is so precious little that can be gleened from such an article. But this article isn't designed to inform. It's designed to get us all gasping like it's a horror movie. News is now entertainment.

[barbaram99]

They will do a Amber Alert on the Mum judt as they will a Dad who takes the children and run. Them Amber Alerts are done when children go missing in all states.
Here is the problem Drs will not fix a woman so she can't breed, They will not,Some should not breed.
This is America not the middle east. We have sep of church and state in America.
It appalling what was done to that child.
Everyone has a right to our say.
I don't know the whole story.
We need as a people rethink why this happens. Both are the blame. The home is the blame. The hospital is the blame. The break up of the family is the blame. The church is the blame. Yep the Mum is the blame. Surely the seeing world could see the signs and did noting. It goes back to money. We can'e afford to take care of us as this nation would rather be at war. Children are abused every day.
Tears ago a abused chils begged us to take her with us. Her parents were awful to that girl, I told the child we can't take ye with us. I did try to get help for that child.That was in 88.
Men and women do this.
I have been posting on this here board since 06. I am appalled.
I came from a broken home, I 54. I am childless as a handicapped person. it lookd to me that she was brain washed in some church. The lady snapped. A baby id living thing. I heard little girls wanting a baby. They think it is a play thing.
I pity the dead child.
Years ago we were riding the city bus and a woman was making her baby sream. I asked my sighted friend what is that woman doing to her child. He told me. Some mothers think they can do as they want with their chid. They can't . The mother was ordered off the bus. That was in the 80s.
I see this alot care takers will tie children to each other with ropes, A long line of ropded kids. All it takes is one child to fall and they all fall or the lift doors. It is day care centres in WA state. I am legally blind. My sighted friend see it as well, He thinks the childernshould not be tied.

[DaVicar5]

Dead Baby's Dad: Mom Can "Burn in Hell" - Hmm, NOT a very Christian Attitude, is it?
Perhaps he should try a little forgivness and understanding, instead of being so judgmental and intolerant?

[rambleingtree]

If someone butchered your child could you be forgiving and tolerant?
I know I could not.

[DaVicar5]

by rambleingtree "If someone butchered your child could you be forgiving and tolerant? I know I could not"


Either of my two sons? I would hurt deeply, but, to not be able to forgive would be a deeper pain - even than that!

[Dgunner]

EVERY SANE ADULT IN THIS FAMILY SHOULD BE MADE TO SIT AND STARE AT THE CRIME SCENE PHOTOS FOR FOUR HOURS A DAY AND EVRYTIME THEY LOOK AWAY CUT OFF A TOE UNTIL THE TOES ARE GONE THEN MOVE TO THE FINGERS . WHEN NONE OF THIER TOES AND FINGERS ARE LEFT BANISH THEM INTO THE MOJAVE DESERT WITH ONE CUP AND NO FOOD.

[DaVicar5]

Yeah, that sounds really compassionate!

[differnet]

As for the men who are crying it wasn't the father's fault because wouldn't have given him custody, they are idiots. First, if he had married her, he would have had physical custody rights off the bat... But hey, why would men get married these days just because it's the right thing to do?!?!? Anyway, if he had gone to child protective services and filed a child protective order, there would have been an investigation and the child probably would have been taken away from the mother. After the case was adjudicated, the odds are with a history of mental illness and another parent willing to be responsibile, she would have lost custody. I don't buy it. Sorry, this is not the same as two sane parents seeking custody.

[differnet]

Having worked my way through college and grad school in mental hospitals, I can already assure the father that the mother is already in hell. Schizophrenia is hellish. There is no peace for those who suffer from it. And it would be a blessing to her if she does not recall what she did, because once they start getting her brain chemistry back in balance, she will live with the horror of her acts. This story just doesn't even begin to explain how many times this horror could have been avoided. The father lived with this women. I can't understand how he didn't know she was schizophrenic. It's not something that happens overnight. But I can't blame him if he wasn't aware of the symptoms. It happens. Schizophrenia is one of the least understood of all the mental illnesses.

[paralgl64]

No, the mother was not schizophrenic, the father was diagnosed schizophrenic.

[differnet]

parlgl64, then neither parent should have had the child. That poor baby. Mental illness all around it and no one seemingly in the position to intervene. I read last night that she had been diagnosed with schizoprenia. I'm not sure what to believe now. Anyway, if you have ever worked with the mentally ill then you would know for most of them, life already is hell and sometimes more hellish when they are stabalized.

[MalloryDavis]

I am a very understanding and forgiving person, but this is abhorrent. I am sickened by what mothers can do to their own children.

[paralgl64]

At this point of the postpartum psychosis, she couldn't control her actions. It's a woman NOT IN HER RIGHT MIND, not a mother!

[DaVicar5]

Still, in all, you should stick to your philosophy of forgivness, which is what this woman needs more than anything.

[fuzzyi]

This is another example of how American society is disintergrating into and abyss of immorality and wickedness. They should first preach morality at home before trying to impose this on others.

[DaVicar5]

Just as two dogs bumping in the backyard proves that Homosexuality is normal, thus, your pet mouse eating her young proves that this woman is "normal" as well. It's just nature taking it's course.

[rdupuy11]

frankly I'm encouraged by a few people 'getting it'. But so many of you have confused notions about the roles of men and women.

If you believe that a man can provide a position of strength to guide his wife through tough times, then you don't know really, anything, about how things really work when someone becomes so mentally ill as to become criminal in their behavior.

The first thing people don't understand is depression. You think depression makes you sad, not violent baby killing....well guess what, for some people its all mixed up with anger and violence.

So think of it in terms of violence...then you'll understand how so many depressed women don't reach out to their husband, but lash out at their husbands - violently and with intention to harm. And they have an easy way to do it...using the police as their weapon.

Filing domestic violence charges...and guess what, its the police job to believe every charge they hear, and the prosecutors job to prosecute every charge as well.

If you think, for one moment you can stay and help your wife, think again.

Your best bet is to run as fast and far as you can, and file a legal challenge from afar, but even that isn't likely to work...not in advance of the crime already occuring, the courts will give the mother every benefit of the doubt.

This would never occur in a society that believe in equality, and understood, from the very beginning, when a baby is born, it has two equal parents, that will co parent with equal time and equal contribution of financial support...in that world, there would be little to fight over.

Give up your old notions of man as protector and woman as child nurturer...its utter and complete nonsense.

[ffoulkes-2009]

I agree with all the posters that it is very difficult for a father to get custody of his children. I fought a long legal battle and finally won out. It was tough, but well worth it.

I have also discovered the police and other authorities are biased when it comes to the mother taking the children without permission. If a father does that, it is kidnapping and an Amber Alert will go out, however when a mother does it, they say you must resolve the situation through civil courts.

Our nation needs to look in to the various family laws and make some serious changes in order to prevent issues like this from happening in the future.

[opaque_heart]

Obviously Ms. Sanchez was mentally incapacitated when she did this. The sheer gruesomeness of it is proof enough. However, there is no proof yet that she had a history of mental illness and even doctors are leery to diagnose PPD or PPS within the first few weeks, usually just labeling it "baby blues". I think we should not be so quick to throw the dad and the family under the bus. Ignorance about the condition could be the culprit here. I suffered PPD for the first 6 months of my first child's life, but never did I hear voices or have thoughts to hurt my child. I was just sad and cried a lot. However, I communicated everything to my family and doctors and even though I had no violent tendencies, my mother never left my side. For the first three months of my son?s life, she slept in the same room it with us. Is she supermom or better than the family of Otty? We will never know, but the big difference was probably education and communication. May Allah have mercy and compassion on everyone involved in this horrendous tragedy.

[paralgl64]

Postpartum psychosisis is MUCH WORSE then postpartum depression. You got exactly the help all women need. I agree there needs to be more education about this and the term 'baby blues' needs to go away. During all the pre-pregnancy classes my husband and I took, they barely touched on this matter.