A boy who gave evidence against his mother when he was just seven years old has shared a chilling admission 17 years later.
At just seven years old, AJ Hutto took the witness stand and delivered testimony that would help convict his mother, Amanda Lewis, of the murder of his younger sister.
Now 24, AJ is speaking publicly for the first time since the 2008 trial, standing by the words that helped send his mother to prison for life.
The tragic events unfolded on August 8, 2007, in the rural town of Esto, Florida, near the Alabama border.
That day, AJ’s seven-year-old sister, Adrianna, died in the family's backyard pool. Amanda Lewis, who had just returned home from working a night shift, claimed Adrianna had slipped into the water while trying to clean bugs from the surface. She told authorities that she found her daughter face-down and unresponsive, per Court TV.
Initially, investigators treated Adrianna’s death as a tragic accident. But the case took a dramatic turn when AJ, then only seven, told investigators that he had seen his mother deliberately push Adrianna into the water and hold her under.
In a video-recorded statement, AJ said: “She done some stuff that she ain't supposed to, so my mama got mad, so she throwed her in the pool.” His testimony became the cornerstone of the prosecution’s case.
Dressed in a collared shirt and vest, AJ gave his emotional testimony in court in February 2008, ABC News reported.
It proved decisive, Amanda Lewis was convicted of first-degree murder and aggravated child abuse and sentenced to life in prison. Following the trial, AJ was adopted by another family and given a new name and identity for protection.
Now, 17 years later, AJ has opened up to MailOnline, under the condition that his current identity remain confidential. He reaffirmed his original testimony and rejected claims that he had been manipulated or coerced by prosecutors.
“I don't believe I was, what they've called, coached or anything like that,” AJ said. “I just told them exactly what I saw, word for word.”
He recalled the emotional weight of testifying at such a young age, saying he didn’t recognize his mother when he entered the courtroom. “It was heartbreaking,” he said. “She's my mother. But there was also some relief that what we were going through at the time was finally coming to an end.”
AJ also revealed he has had no contact with Amanda since her conviction. “It’s court-appointed that we cannot see each other,” he explained, “and I've wanted to keep it that way, just so nothing’s getting brought back up… all the feelings, emotions, and traumas coming back into light.”
Amanda Lewis has continued to maintain her innocence over the years. Despite several failed appeals, she has reportedly retained a new legal team in hopes of filing a fresh challenge to her conviction, The Mirror details.
For AJ, the tragedy forever changed the course of his life, but he remains firm in his belief that he told the truth all those years ago.