Who is Brandy Hutchins? Florida mother murders her children after losing custody battle before killing herself
POLK COUNTY, FLORIDA: Brandy Hutchings, a Florida resident murdered her two children before killing herself after losing a custody battle in the court.
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said this was possibly a double murder-suicide case, calling it “absolutely devastating for everyone.”
During a press conference on Sunday, she said that the case ‘started as a domestic event’ as the former couple fought over child custody of the 10-year-old son they shared.
Who is Aiden Hutchins?
Aiden Hutchins was a 10-year-old boy who was supposed to live with his father after the judge’s order to hand over him from the mother.
It was on Thursday, August 24, when he came down from Maine to court but his wife didn't turn over custody of Aiden.
Brandy was ordered by the court to hand over custody by 6 pm on Friday, August 25, Judd informed.
Officers then made multiple calls to the mother and friends for anyone who may have seen Aiden to share any updates.
Around 12.30 pm on Sunday, authorities received a call that indicated that the mother may be inside a mobile home with her son and 19-year-old daughter in the Waverly neighborhood of Lake Wales where officers later found the bodies.
Is it a double 'murder-suicide case'?
“[Brandy Hutchins], from every indication in our investigation now, has murdered her 10-year-old child and her 19-year-old daughter,” Judd said. “And then subsequent to that, she shot herself.”
The Sheriff continued, “We’re devastated for this beautiful 10-year-old child, all because mom did not want to turn the child over to the rightful father pursuant to a court order.”
Aiden’s father posted on Sunday afternoon, August 27, “[i]t is with a heavy heart that I am writing this to give everyone an update about my son Aiden Hutchins who was missing and taken by his mother on August 25, 2023, who decided to murder him,” reports Law&Crime.
“[H]e was killed by her today August 27, 2023. He will forever be in my heart and did not deserve this. Rest in peace my sweet boy I will see you again. I love you,” he said.
The police are yet to officially identify the 19-year-old victim, but she had a different father, as per documents.
“There was no indication that there should be any violence, but it was violent,” Judd said.
“This was a domestic event, a court-ordered event, where she had to turn custody over to the ex-husband and she wasn’t going to do that, so she murdered the 10-year-old. The 19-year-old daughter was there and [she] murdered her as well.”