Pregnant Colorado Mom Tristen Watson Killed Infant Son Before Committing Suicide
In a tragic incident, a pregnant woman fatally shot her 17-month-old son before killing herself in Rocky Mountain National Park on Friday. According to The Coloradoan, the bodies of 24-year-old Tristen Watson, a resident of Colorado Springs, and her 17-month-old son, Christopher, were discovered by park rangers on the same day following a combined search operation.
According to the New York Post, the bodies were transferred to the Larimer County Coroner’s Office on Friday evening following an on-scene investigation. Officials are still investigating the case, and the circumstances leading to the two deaths remain unclear. The woman’s car was later found in another area within the park boundaries.
Autopsy reports released by the Larimer County Coroner’s Office on Monday revealed that Christopher had died due to a gunshot wound to the head. His death was ruled a homicide. Tristen’s cause of death was ruled as suicide. The Coroner’s office did not reveal whether the woman was pregnant. Watson’s family, however, in an online obituary indicated that she was pregnant. A Facebook post made by the Tristen in November also indicated that she was pregnant and was due in June 2020, reports said.
Earlier on Friday, park officials were notified of a suicidal person in the area. A search operation involving personnel from the Rocky Mountain National Park Law Enforcement Rangers, Estes Park Police Department, Larimer County Sheriff’s Office, and the Loveland Police Department ensued. The search operation led to traffic closures in several entrances to the park.
Tristen’s husband, Derrick Watson, made a public Facebook post on Monday describing the pain he and his family had to go through following the tragic deaths.
He urged people to seek help if they are struggling and are having suicidal thoughts. He also wanted people to reach out to friends and acquaintances who are not in a position or unwilling to help themselves.
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Tristen’s family has requested friends and family members to send memorial contributions to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) of St. Tammany, in lieu of flowers.
The family will hold a memorial service for Tristen and Christopher on February 1, following visitation scheduled from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at a local funeral home.
Colorado has, in the past, been witness to such tragic incidents. In 2016, a Colorado mom drugged her two sons and killed them, following which she turned the gun on herself.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741. For readers outside the U.S., visit Suicide.org or Befrienders Worldwide for international resources you can use to find help.
