A man has broken his silence nearly two decades after delivering a chilling testimony as a child against his biological mother, who was convicted of murdering his sister.
AJ Hutto was just seven years old when he took the stand in a Florida courtroom in 2008, recounting the moment he saw his mother, Amanda Lewis, drown his seven-year-old sister, Adrianna, in their backyard swimming pool.
Now 24, AJ – whose real name has been changed for his protection – has spoken publicly for the first time since the trial, telling The Daily Mail: “One hundred percent guilty. I stand by every word I said.”
His testimony, along with a child’s drawing he presented in court, became key evidence in the case, The Daily Mail detailed. The image showed three figures by the pool and was accompanied by AJ’s handwritten words, “She did” and “To Bad,” which he explained meant “she died” and “it was scary.”
During the trial, AJ described how his “momma” had held Adrianna’s head underwater, adding: “She was putting her hand over her face.”
Despite his young age, Judge Allen Register ruled AJ was a competent witness. While some critics suggested the child may have been influenced by prosecutors, AJ maintains his account was his own.
“I don’t believe I was coached or anything like that,” he said. “I just told them exactly what I saw, word for word.”
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