Mother Jillian McCabe 'killed her six-year-old autistic son by throwing him from a bridge', police say

Jillian McCabe, 34, of Oregon, appeared in court this week after she was charged with aggravated murder and manslaughter

Jillian McCabe, who prosecutors say threw her 6-year-old autistic son from a bridge in the coastal town of Newport and then called police to confess, was charged on Tuesday with aggravated murder and manslaughter (AP Photo/Newport, Ore., Police Department)

A mother has been accused of throwing her six-year-old autistic son from a bridge before calling the police to confess.

Jillian McCabe, 34, of Oregon, appeared in court this week after she was charged with aggravated murder and manslaughter.

Authorities have said she called police at about 6.25pm on Monday and said she had thrown her son from the Yaquina Bay Bridge in the coastal town of Newport.

Two boats and a helicopter were sent by the US Coast Guard to help search for the boy.

His body was spotted in the water about a mile from the bridge four hours later, police have said.

McCabe made an initial appearance at Lincoln County Circuit Court on Tuesday. She did not enter a plea after her arraignment on the charges was postponed.

She had apparently previously set up a website to seek financial aid.

On the website she described her family as facing financial difficulties after her husband Matt suffered a brain injury which left him hospitalised for four months and unemployed upon his release.

With her child's autism, "the financial and emotional load of Matt not being there for month after month is more than most of us can understand,” she wrote on the site.

"But not more than we could help with. Donations of time, child care, and money have all helped the McCabe family through this last year."

Additional reporting by Reuters