Mom ‘killed her son, 6, by dragging him behind her car at speed then dumped his corpse in a river’
Tuesday, March 02, 2021
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Brittnay Gosney, 29, claimed six-year-old James Robert Hutchinson had wandered off but she has now been arrested and charged with his murder.
The body of James Hutchinson, 6, was dumped in the Ohio River
Middletown, Ohio, cops say that during questioning of Gosney and her boyfriend, James Hamilton, 42, they told officers they killed Hutchinson in Preble County a few days ago, WBTV reports.
Court documents released allege that mom-of-four Gosney had taken her son to Rush Run Park with the intention of leaving him there, reports NBC4i.
When she tried to drive away, the child grabbed onto the car in an attempt to climb back inside but Gosney drove off, dragging him at a high speed along the road.
Gosney returned to the scene 30 to 40 minutes later and found James lying in the middle of the parking lot with injuries to his head.
She said the child had died and she then placed his body in her car, drove to the family's home in Middletown and stored the corpse in an upstairs bedroom.
Gosney and her boyfriend allegedly took the boy's body and dumped it in the river the next day.
"Sadly, upon further questioning of Brittany Gosney and her boyfriend, James Hamilton, they now say that James was killed in Preble County a few days ago," police said in a statement.
Gosney has been charged with murder, abuse of a corpse and tampering with evidence
"The child's body was brought back to Middletown, where they live, and later put into the Ohio River."
Police said Monday that the mom "is not showing much remorse" and had not revealed why she had tried to leave him in the park.
Police are working with specially trained searchers in an effort to find the child’s body.
Due to the river being very high and treacherous they said they would not be disclosing the exact location in order to avoid another tragic incident.
Gosney has been charged with murder, abuse of a corpse and tampering with evidence.
Hamilton has been charged with abuse of a corpse and tampering with evidence.
Middletown Police Chief David Birk said during a news conference Monday his detectives felt the situation was “unusual” after Gosney and Hamilton reported the boy missing to police Sunday morning.
Birk said it was unusual for parents to go to the police station to report a missing child and usually they would call 911 immediately.
James Hamilton has been charged with abuse of a corpse and tampering with evidence
Gosney is believed to have taken James to Rush Run Park in Preble County along with his older brother and sister, both second-graders on Friday.
Gosney and Hamilton appeared in Middletown Municipal Court Monday and were appointed lawyers.
During the hearing Gosney told the judge she had a learning disability and didn't understand what was happening.
Birk said at the news conference she knows right from wrong and understood her rights.
Gosney’s bond was set at $1million and Hamilton’s bond was set at $800,000.
They are scheduled to appear in court again on March 8 for a preliminary hearing.
Officials said the two other children in the household have been removed from the residence.
Originally published on THE SUN