Trial dates set for Middletown mother, boyfriend accused in James Hutchinson’s death

HAMILTON — Trial dates have been set for a Middletown mother and her boyfriend accused in the death of the woman’s 6-year-old son earlier this year.

>>RELATED: Middletown mother accused of killing son ruled competent to stand trial

Brittany Gosney, 29, and James Hamilton, 42, made appearances in the Butler County Court of Common Pleas Monday for the trial dates to be set.

Gosney will face a jury trial September 20. Hamilton’s trial was set for October 4.

>>RELATED: Timeline: How the investigation into James Hutchinson’s death unfolded

The two are facing over 30 charges stemming from the death of Gosney’s son, James Hutchinson, in late February. Gosney faces 16 charges including murder, involuntary manslaughter, tampering with evidence, child endangering, kidnapping, and gross abuse of a corpse. Hamilton faces 15 charges including, kidnapping, gross abuse of a corpse, child endangering, tampering with evidence, and abduction.

>>Court records: Mother, boyfriend ‘hog-tied’ James Hutchinson, siblings before boy’s death

Gosney was ruled competent to stand trial in April following a court-ordered mental evaluation. The evaluation was ordered after Gosney initially pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity.

>>Mother, boyfriend accused of killing 6-year-old indicted on 31 felonies

Gosney is accused of killing Hutchinson while trying to abandon him and the boy’s two older siblings at Rush Run Wildlife Area in Preble County in the early morning hours of Feb. 27. Hutchinson suffered a fatal injury when he grabbed onto the vehicle Gosney was driving as she sped away.

>>RELATED: Butler Co. Children Services had no prior contact with James Hutchinson’s family, prosecutors say

According to investigative records, Gosney said she intended to abandon the children after feeling pressure from Hamilton to do so.

After bringing Hutchinson’s body back to Middletown, along with the two other children who were not hurt, Gosney and Hamilton drove to Lawrenceburg, Indiana about 24 hours after the boy died. Investigators said the boy’s body was dumped into the Ohio River from the Carroll Cropper Bridge, the I-275 bridge that crosses the river.

Search crews have so far been unable to recover the boy’s body in the weeks after his death.

Court records also allege Hutchinson and his two siblings were hog-tied and tortured in the hours before Gosney drove them to Preble County with the intention of abandoning them. They were left in that position for hours and “with purpose to terrorize and/or inflict serious physical harm,” prosecutors allege.

Additionally, investigators allege after Hutchinson’s death, Gosney and Hamilton tied a concrete block to the boy’s body when then dumped it in the Ohio River.

Cox Media Group