Cops: Mom stabbed autistic son 32 times

Mansfield, Conn. (WTNH) - A Mansfield mother is facing charges after she allegedly stabbed her autistic son 32 times and tried to blame it on her teenage neighbor.

Robbin Foster, 40, was arrested Tuesday and was arraigned in court Wednesday where her charges were upgraded to assault on a disabled person and making a false statement. Foster, appearing distraught and upset, did not enter a plea.

Foster will receive medical attention and is under a mental health watch. She is being held on a $500,000 bond.

Foster told police Tuesday she walked in on the neighbor's boy stabbing her 16-year-old son in his bedroom. Her son has autism and cannot talk or speak, but his mom described the alleged attacker to police.

Click here to read the affidavit (.pdf)

Police tracked down the boy and interviewed him. Between him, other witnesses and clues at the scene, police decided they were not buying the mom's story. She was arrested.

According to the police report, the boy was stabbed 32 times in the back and had three stab wounds to the chest. Foster told detectives, "She had been thinking about the years she had been caring for the victim and just wanted the pressure off her shoulders."

Detectives reported finding bloody clothes and bloody pillowcase which, detectives said, indicated Foster had lied. When confronted, she acknowledged that she did stab the victim.

Foster's son is in serious but stable condition in Windham Hospital. A protective order was issued denying Foster any contact with her son at this time.

Her next court appearance will be Sept. 17.