In a incident over the weekend in Florida, a mother, identified as Brandy Hutchins, is believed to have taken the lives of her 10-year-old son, Aiden Hutchins, and her 19-year-old daughter, before ending her own life. This tragic event unfolded days after a judge mandated Brandy to hand over custody of Aiden to his father.
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd described the incident as “absolutely devastating” during a Sunday press conference. The origins of this case were rooted in a domestic dispute, as the former couple was embroiled in a child custody battle over Aiden. The father had traveled from Maine to attend a court session on Thursday, resulting in the judge’s order for Brandy to transfer custody of Aiden to him by 6 p.m. Friday.
However, when the deadline was ignored, authorities and the boy’s father launched frantic efforts to locate Aiden, even resorting to pinging phones and reaching out to the public for any leads.
Their search ended in heartbreak on Sunday at around 12:30 p.m. when they received a tip-off pointing to a mobile home in Lake Wales’ Waverly neighborhood. On arriving, they were confronted with the grim reality: Brandy had reportedly killed both her children and subsequently took her own life.
In a online post, Aiden’s father expressed his grief, stating, “Rest in peace my sweet boy. I will see you again. I love you.”
The 19-year-old daughter, who had a different father, has yet to be named. Sheriff Judd highlighted that despite the contentious custody dispute, there were no indicators suggesting that such a violent outcome was impending. The sheriff emphasized the unpredictability of the incident, stating there was “absolutely zero evidence” hinting at any violent tendencies from Brandy.
This incident has left the community and law enforcement reeling, with Sheriff Judd admitting, “I can’t imagine a more horrific set of circumstances.”
