BELFAST — Miranda Hopkins, the 32-year-old woman from Troy charged with murder in connection with the killing of her infant son, allegedly told authorities that one of her autistic children may have beaten the baby to death, according to newly release court documents.
In a police affidavit filed with the court, the baby’s cause of death is listed as blunt force trauma and details injuries that include cuts and bruises on the head, skull and rib fractures, and bleeding on the surface of the brain.
Hopkins told authorities she didn’t know exactly what happened to her 7-week-old son, Jaxson, telling police she must have “blacked out,” according to the affidavit. She further described herself as being “so drunk that she did not remember,” saying she had drank whiskey and ingested the antihistamine drug Benadryl, according to the affidavit written by Detective Jason Andrews.
The release of the documents came the same day that Hopkins made an initial appearance in Belfast District Court on a charge of murder. Hopkins, of 211 North Dixmont Road in Troy, who lived at the brown mobile home with her three children, was arrested Friday by Maine State Police on a charge that she murdered her 7-week-old son.
Hopkins was brought into the courtroom by a Waldo County Sheriff’s deputy shortly after 3:30 Tuesday; she was handcuffed, wearing dark prison garb and orange shoes. Justice Robert Murray presided over the hearing.
Police said Hopkins called 911 from her trailer home Thursday morning, saying her baby, Jaxson Hopkins, was unresponsive, according to Maine State Police.
In the affidavit, Hopkins allegedly told authorities she awoke to find her baby cold, white and “beat to hell.” The infant, who was born Nov. 21, was pronounced dead at the scene. Hopkins lived with Jaxson and two other sons, ages 6 and 8. Those boys are now with relatives.
Meanwhile, Heather Gillen, 36, of Bucksport, a friend of Hopkins for 14 years, said in an interview Tuesday that Hopkins loved her three boys and would never hurt them.
“She is an amazing person and a wonderful loving mom ” Gillen said by phone.
According to her Facebook page, Hopkins attended Mount View High School in Thorndike and is a single mother. Last March, she posted about developing a Facebook group for people “personally affected by a Special Needs child” that would be a “judgment free safe zone.”
Gillen said Hopkins’ two other sons, ages 6 and 8, both are autistic, but Hopkins knows how to take good care of them.
“I do not know what could have happened to the baby,” she said. “She was overjoyed to have her third son. She loves all three of them with all of her heart. I can’t fathom her harming any of her children. She is protective over all three of them.”
This story will be updated.
Doug Harlow — 612-2367
Twitter:@Doug_Harlow