Mom Convicted Of Murder After Her Seven Year Old Son's Testimony

August 8, 2007. In an Esto, Florida back yard Adrianna Hutto was laying in the backyard near her pool, lifeless. Emergency medics work on on the young 7 year old daughter of Amanda Lewis. The continue to the hospital where they pronounced her dead, an hour after she arrived.

The mother, Amanda, pleaded with authorities that her daughter was trying to clean bugs out of the pool and she fell in. The mom did not hear her struggling, but found her in the pool.

What initially looked like a drowning accident to authorities took a quick turn for the worst when Adrianna's 6 year old brother, A.j., told authorities that he saw his mother, Amanda Lewis, dunk his sister under water as a form of punishing her.

When the young boy was describing the scene, he stated that his mother "had her hand on Adrianna's face while holding her underwater." As he continued, he stated, "Adrianna screamed for him to call the police." At the same time, his mother was yelling at him to get in the house.

In that September of 2007, Amanda Lewis was arrested for the murder of her daughter. After declining a plea bargain that would give her 10 years in prison, she decided to go to trial.

It is stated that A.j. went to child therapists to see what more he knows. While the therapist was speaking to him, he was drawing a picture. The picture was used in court against his mother. It was a small sketch of his back yard. A person in the pool and the person outside of the pool having their hand on the other's face, forcing them in the water. He said it was his mom and sister. He wrote next to his mom's figure, "She did to bad."

The prosecution did use her young son as a key witness. He was the only witness to the crime and since that fateful day, he has pointed the finger at his mother. Without his testimony, the crime would be written off as an accidental drowning and there would be no justice for young Adrianna.

Adrianna was diagnosed with ADHD. Amanda did have a hard time with her and had a hard time creating the bond that should have been between them. A.j stated that his mother would often be harder on his sister than she would be on him.

In court, A.j sat on the witness stand in front of his mother. He explained in the picture that his mom had her hand on his sister's face and dunking her under water. The prosecutor asked if he knew where his mother was. He never noticed she was right in front of him. When he realized she was there, He broke down crying on the stand.

An almost inconsolable little boy sat in front of his mother with tears rolling down his face as he recalled her forcing his sister to drown.

The prosecution also said there were bruises on the daughter's face. Where the bruises were showed that it was pretty much a hand print. Which corroborated with the boy's story of his mother forcing his sister under water by her hand pushing on her face.

Once the trial was completed, the jury only took two hours to deliberate and find the mother guilty on first degree murder and aggravated child abuse of her daughter. She could have accepted the plea deal and only get 10 years, but she was sentenced to life without possibility of parole.

She believes that her son is a victim of being coerced to say his testimony. And was coached on the story. She claims her innocence even today. Her son A.j. was adopted and is 17 years old today. Amanda will spend the rest of her days in the Florida Department of Corrections.