Salem, OR — Amy Robertson, a 46-year-old Keizer woman, has been charged for the second time in connection with the 2017 murder of her 12-year-old son, Caden Berry. Robertson was arraigned Thursday in Marion County Circuit Court, facing multiple charges, including first-degree murder, second-degree murder, and two counts of first-degree criminal mistreatment.
Caden’s death, which occurred in January 2017, was initially deemed suspicious after he was found unresponsive in the family’s Keizer apartment. According to court records, Caden had been strangled. Robertson was initially arrested and charged with aggravated murder and murder by abuse. However, those charges were later altered, and the case against her took a lengthy legal and psychiatric turn.
In addition to the charges related to Caden’s death, Robertson now faces allegations of abuse against her other son, who was 13 years old at the time. Court documents suggest that between 2015 and 2017, Robertson engaged in a “pattern and practice of assault or torture” against the older child, although specific details of these alleged incidents have not been disclosed.
Caden, a seventh-grader at Claggett Creek Middle School, was remembered fondly in his obituary. Described as an avid football fan who loved playing video games and catching Pokémon, Caden was the youngest of three children. Tragically, his older brother had died by suicide in 2011, also at the age of 12.
Robertson’s mental health has been a central issue in the case from the outset. Following her arrest, court proceedings were delayed multiple times due to concerns over her ability to stand trial. In May 2017, after evaluations by certified clinicians, the court ruled that Robertson was unable to aid in her defense due to “psychosis-like symptoms.” Psychiatric assessments revealed a series of mental health disorders, including schizophrenia, borderline personality disorder, and paranoid personality disorder.
As a result, Robertson was committed to the Oregon State Hospital, where she remained for several years. During her time there, clinicians repeatedly assessed her mental state, ultimately determining that she was unlikely to regain the capacity to stand trial. In April 2020, the charges against her were dismissed, and she was declared an “extremely dangerous person” by court documents.
However, in a recent development, Robertson was transferred from the Oregon State Hospital to the Marion County Jail, where she is now being held without bail. The charges against her were reinstated after further legal review, and the case is moving forward once again.
The Oregon Department of Human Services (DHS) conducted a review of Caden’s death in 2017, identifying systemic failures in the department’s handling of the family’s case. The review found that DHS had not sufficiently addressed warning signs of abuse and neglect in the household, raising questions about the agency’s involvement in protecting the children.
As the case moves through the legal system once again, it highlights not only the profound trauma experienced by Caden and his siblings but also the broader implications of mental health, child protection, and the criminal justice system. Robertson’s trial, which is likely to focus on both her mental health and the evidence of abuse, is expected to shed further light on the tragic events surrounding her son’s death.
