MIDDLETOWN — Newly obtained court documents allege James Hutchinson’s mother and her boyfriend “hog-tied” the woman’s three children and tortured them in the hours before the 6-year-old boy’s death.
>>RELATED: Attorney seeks insanity plea for Middletown mother accused in son’s death, court records show
The court record filed in the Butler County Court of Common Pleas outlines more details on the 31 charges brought against Brittany Gosney, 29, and James Hamilton, 42, stemming from the boy’s death in late February.
>>PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Sheriff: Divers to resume Ohio River search for James Hutchinson after conditions improve
Court documents allege Hutchinson and his two siblings, aged 9 and 7, had their hands and feet tied behind their backs and cloth was placed in their mouths. They were left in that position for hours and “with purpose to terrorize and/or inflict serious physical harm,” prosecutors allege.
>>RELATED: Timeline: How the investigation into James Hutchinson’s death unfolded
The children were restrained in the hours before Gosney drove them to Rush Run Wildlife Area in Preble County on Feb. 27 with the intent to abandon them, investigators said.
UPDATE: Court records accuse Middletown mother, boyfriend of tying children up, stuffing cloths in their mouths - alleging “torture” in the days leading up to the death of James Hutchinson late last month. @whiotv pic.twitter.com/HmV2WhVMPy
— Sean Cudahy (@SCudahyWHIO) March 24, 2021
>>RELATED: Butler Co. Children Services had no prior contact with James Hutchinson’s family, prosecutors say
New court records also allege Gosney and Hamilton tied a concrete block to Hutchinson’s body when they disposed of the body into the Ohio River on Feb. 28.
Search operations in the Ohio River have so far been unsuccessful in recovering the boy’s body, which is believed to be close to where it was dumped on the Carroll Cropper Bridge near Lawrenceburg, Indiana.
>>RELATED: Mother, boyfriend accused in death of 6-year-old indicted on 31 felonies
Gosney’s attorney also officially filed a motion for her plea to be changed to not guilty by reason of insanity. Previously, Gosney’s defense counsel said they had “serious concerns regarding (Gosney’s) mental health,” according to court records.
Gosney will appear for the competency hearing April 26, which is a court-ordered mental health assessment meant to determine the defendant’s ability to understand the charges against them and assist in their own defense.
Hamilton is due to appear in court next April 12 for what is listed as a plea or trial setting, according to court records.
We’ll continue to update this story as new details emerge.
Cox Media Group
