A man has come forward nearly 20 years after delivering haunting testimony as a child that helped convict his biological mother for the murder of his sister.
AJ Hutto was only seven years old when he testified in a Florida courtroom in 2008, describing how he witnessed his mother, Amanda Lewis, drown his seven-year-old sister, Adrianna, in their backyard pool.
Now 24, AJ—whose name has been changed for his privacy—has spoken publicly for the first time since that trial, telling The Daily Mail, “One hundred percent guilty. I still stand by every word I said.”
His testimony, along with a drawing he made, was pivotal in the case, according to The Daily Mail. The sketch showed three figures near a pool and was labeled with phrases like “She did” and “To Bad,” which AJ explained meant “she died” and “it was scary.”
On the stand, AJ told the jury that his “momma” had pushed Adrianna’s head underwater, saying: “She was covering her face with her hand.”
Despite his young age, Judge Allen Register ruled that AJ was a credible witness. Though some later questioned whether he had been coached, AJ insists his account was truthful.
“I really don’t think I was influenced or told what to say,” he said. “I just repeated exactly what I saw, word for word.”
