9/14/2021- 10:52 a.m.
Ohio — A woman who admitted to killing her 6-year-old son during an attempt to abandon him and then dumping his body into the Ohio River was sentenced Monday to life in prison.
Brittany Gosney, 29, of Middletown, Ohio, will be eligible for parole in 21 years, WLWT Channel 5 reports. If she is paroled, Gosney must register register for the state’s violent offender registry for 10 years, WHIO Channel 7 reports.
Last month, Gosney pleaded guilty to one count of murder and two counts of endangering children as part of a plea deal in the death of her son, James Hutchinson.
Prior to Gosney’s sentencing, Tracy Neeley, the principal at Rosa Parks Elementary School, said Hutchinson was a “bright light” at the school, WHIO reports.
“James was a member of our Rosa Parks Panther family for a very short time. While he was small, he touched all of our hearts with his red hair and his bright eyes,” Neeley said. “He loved to help others. He was a friend and he was a bright light. Very seldom did he not have a smile on his face. And that light was extinguished too soon by his own mother.”
Hutchinson was killed in late February when Gosney attempted to abandon him and her two other children, ages 9 and 7, at Rush Run Wild Life Area in Preble County, which is northwest of Middletown. Hutchinson reportedly tried to get back into the vehicle as Gosney drove away and ended up being dragged and run over.
She told investigators that when she returned to check on Hutchinson, he was dead. She then picked up his body and returned to her home in Middletown with her two other children.
Gosney reportedly blamed her boyfriend, James Hamilton, 43, saying he was pressuring her to get rid of her children. Police say Hamilton was not present when Hutchinson was killed. Gosney and Hamilton reportedly the boy’s body and dumped it in the Ohio River near Lawrencebrug, Indiana, on Feb. 28, then reported the boy missing later that morning. Hutchinson’s body still has not been found.
Hamilton pleaded guilty last month to kidnapping, gross abuse of a corpse and two counts of child endangering as part of a plea deal. He is set to be sentenced on Oct. 4 and faces a maximum of 19 years in prison.
Middletown Police Chief David Birk tells WCPO Channel 9 that the case surrounding Hutchinson’s death was especially difficult for police, with one detective choosing to return to patrol duty.
