A custody battle in Florida took a horrific turn when a mother allegedly took the lives of her two children and then herself. According to the New York Post, Brandy Hutchins fatally shot her 10-year-old son and 19-year-old daughter, then ultimately pulled the trigger on herself.
In a statement, the Polk County Sheriff said she committed the crime after a judge ordered her to hand her son over to his father, who lives in Maine. On Friday, the woman was told to give up custody of 10-year-old Aiden Hutchins. However, she never showed up for the appointment to do the same.
Shortly thereafter, the sheriff’s office was informed that the mother had violated the court order. During the investigation, officers found the lifeless body of the minor along with those of his half-sister and mother at a home in Lake Wales on Sunday afternoon. Sheriff Grady Judd described it as a “horrific” incident.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office sheds light on the horrifying crime
“Brandy Hutchins” has now, according to all the leads in our investigation, murdered her 10-year-old child and her 19-year-old child “murdered her and then shot herself,” Judd said during a news conference. “I can’t think of a more horrifying circumstance,” added the sheriff.
He also revealed that Brandy had no criminal record and had no history of violence. “There was no evidence that violence was going to occur,” Judd said. It’s important to note that the 19-year-old had a different father than her 10-year-old brother and was not involved in a custody battle.
Judd said the sheriff’s office is no stranger to custody battles, but that it is the first time it has witnessed such violence. “My heart breaks for the whole family.” “We are devastated for this beautiful 10-year-old child because the mother did not want to hand the child over to the rightful father in accordance with a court order,” he said.
Published: August 29, 2023 6:40 PM IST
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