Warning: This article contains discussions of child abuse which may be upsetting to some readers.
A Florida mother reacted grimly after being found guilty when her seven-year-old son testified in court, claiming he witnessed her drowning his sister.
In 2008, AJ Hutto made headlines nationwide when he informed a courtroom that his mother, Amanda Lewis, was responsible for his sister’s death in a backyard swimming pool.
The boy, who has since changed his name for protection, recounted the terrifying incident where his mother ‘dunked’ seven-year-old Adrianna’s head underwater, leading to her death.
His testimony played a crucial role in the trial, resulting in Lewis being convicted of first-degree murder and receiving a life sentence without parole.
The moment the verdict was delivered was captured on camera, leaving a haunting impression.
As the verdict was announced, Lewis lowered her head, avoiding the cameras and concealing her emotions.
Despite the verdict, it was clear that Lewis was deeply affected and in shock.
Since receiving her life sentence, Lewis has consistently maintained her innocence.
During the trial, the prosecutor, Larry Basford, introduced AJ’s stick drawing of the pool scene, which depicted the circumstances he described.
The then-seven-year-old explained that the picture showed his ‘momma’ ‘killing my sister,’ and he had written ‘She Did’ to indicate ‘she died,’ while ‘To Bad’ referred to the fear he felt.
When asked to describe how Lewis killed his sister, AJ responded: “Putting her hand over her face.”
Now 24, AJ has spoken publicly for the first time in 17 years since the case concluded, telling DailyMail: “One hundred per cent guilty. I stand by every word I said.”
Some campaigners suggested that the young boy was influenced by the prosecution, pointing out inconsistencies in his statements.
AJ addressed these concerns, telling the Mail: “I don’t believe I was, what they’ve called, coached or anything like that. I just told them exactly what I saw word for word.”
Having moved on with his life, AJ is now married and works as a firefighter. He described his upbringing with Lewis as filled with ‘darkness’, ‘trauma’, and ‘a lot of abuse’.
“Both Adrianna and I were physically abused,” he recalled, noting the stark contrast between his childhood with Lewis and his life with his adoptive family as ‘night and day.’
If you have been affected by these issues or need confidential advice regarding child welfare, you can contact the Childhelp USA National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453), which is available 24/7 and receives calls from the United States, Canada, US Virgin Islands, Guam, and Puerto Rico.