" I don't understand how they can say this. She PLANNED it. "

" Big shocker. NOT. We all knew they would try to use that defense. "

" squamous2...not the same thing as the insanity defense, which requires that you not know that what you were doing was wrong. Think and/or know before writing nonsense. "

" Joe... she had planned on doing this for 2 months. (Actually over a year when you consider the car "accident" into the river). It is difficult to see how she did not understand what she was doing.

I noted on the blog when she was first charged that she will be sent to a mental hospital and after being "treated" will make a remarkable recovery and be released after a few years! "

" I'm sorry but I don't feel sorry for her. I have two children and had depression following also, but it NEVER crossed my mind to do something that awful to them. She need to be punished to the fullest extent. I'm sick of people using depression as an excuse. That's not a reason to harm your children, your own flesh and blood. "

" I noticed that this was the prosecutor's opinion of what the defense will be. She doesn't even have an attorney yet, so nobody knows yet what the actual defense will be.

Postpartum depression is real, and can happen. That doesn't mean it's a valid legal defense, however. Many women who do develop the depression would NEVER harm their children. I agree with the post from teltyl on that. "

" JAMMAJ:
You are right, that is what the prosecution's office believes it will be. Because more then likely that is what they have been told by her attorney or family. And, yes she does have an attorney it just has not been announced publicly who he is. They don't have to tell you, but when she is taken into custody in Iowa City after her release (which shall be soon) they will release for all the nosey people out there who her attorney is and what her defense will be.
But, she can sit there with doctor's, family and investigators and state she don't know why she did it she just wants to be locked up or dead so she can't hurt no one else. That means to me that she is full aware of what it is she did, insanity is not a defense. It's a cop out and a big excuse for what it is she did to those two lovely children. I just hope she pleads guilty or something so the state doesn't not have to put the family through anymore struggles, and grief. "

" I know postpartum depression is real. Many of us mothers have had it. But still we chose not to harm our children. We either worked though it or got help.

I do not feel sorry for this lady at all. She had already planned to harm/kill her children a month or more ago. Look back at last years Iowa River episode.

However I do feel for the family and am praying they will find a way to come though this horrible situation. "

" So many shrinks on blog here. This weoman had obvious signs of severe problems and if the so called "normal" people around her couldn't see that she was a threat, do you really think she isn't nuts and yes that is a defense, like it or not. This country's lack of knowledge or compassion for the mentally ill is sad.
This could happen to your family people, don't be so self righteous. And just because you had PPD and it didn't turn out this way, thank your lucky stars. "

" When I had postpartum depression (no one even talked about it then), I recall not wanting my daughter. I just didn't want anything to do with her, didn't want to take her home, nothing. I knew it was wrong to feel that way and I knew something wasn't quite right, but I never said a word to anyone. I still did what I was supposed to do for my baby daughter because I was afraid of everyone being disappointed in me; not because it was the right thing to do.

That said, I don't think it's a "choice" to do much of anything when you're suffering from a mental disorder. Your brain isn't functioning right and you aren't capable of making rational decisions.

Does that excuse this woman? Not necessarily, but I don't think that we can say what, exactly, a person will/won't do when suffering from depression. Depression doesn't mean you're sad. It means you've checked out of your life, you literally HURT (emotionally and physically), and as the symptoms increase, you feel like the best thing would be for you to call it quits (suicide) or get rid of the things that you believe are hindering you (in this woman's case, it looks like she had some issues with being a mother and maybe a wife in the traditional sense).

Depression is decidedly more serious than feeling bad, and it comes in a number of levels. I was lucky and came out of mine in about two weeks -- not everyone does.

I just wonder whether her husband noticed anything and whether he sought assistance. "

" I am not sure if the attempt in December documents "planning" in the sense of a well thought out way to do away with her childrens. It is, however, an overt act which demands investigation. "

" It just leaves me speechless. I can only pray for the rest of the family. "

" (return of) joe..... they are not going after the insanity defense. They are going for the postpartum depression defense. "

" PREMEDITATED...PLANNED...She bought the duct tape & knife with the intention of using them to kill her children....TRIED TO COVER IT UP...she wrote a note 1 MONTH ago and then rewrote it that morning to fit the situation at hand. She held down a great full time job working in the pharmacy at the UIHC. For someone like her, overdosing her children was not an option. It would have been too obvious. It would have been hard to try to cover that one up. She lied to authorities. She originally said she and her 2 children were abducted by a man with a knife. It makes you wonder if the change in her story came after her OWN CHILD said it was mommy who did it.WWOOWW. That's not only wrong, that's SICK and SAD. No child should have to go through that kind of hell. "

" Exactly my point, which is not based on whether or not you knew what you did was wrong. As I said, know before talking nonsense. "