A child witness, whose hands were too small to conceal his weeping eyes, had the fortitude to testify against his mother, stating that his 7-year-old sister was “dunked” in the pool when “mama got mad.”
A.J. Hutto, now 24, is finally breaking his silence after 17 years, courageously speaking out about the harrowing experience of appearing in court as a child. He boldly declares that his mother, Amanda Lewis, is “100% guilty.”
In 2008, a young boy’s voice broke the stillness of a Florida courtroom, unveiling an unimaginable truth that would forever change the course of his life and the lives of those around him.
The full extent of what A.J. Hutto was facing at such a young age was beyond his comprehension. Now 24, A.J. is shedding light on the painful memories he kept hidden for 17 years. At the time, he didn’t grasp the legal weight of his words—he was simply speaking the truth, trying to make sense of a horror no child should ever witness. The 7-year-old boy, dressed in light slacks, a black knit sweater, and a crisp white shirt, bravely recounted in heartbreaking detail how he watched his sister, Adrianna Hutto, tragically lose her life in their backyard pool.
Initially, the incident was believed to be a tragic accident—an innocent drowning. But when A.J. spoke to authorities, his chilling revelation took the case in a darker, more terrifying direction. He said his mother, Amanda Lewis, had killed his sister.
Amanda Lewis’ Version
Amanda Lewis, then 27 and working night shifts as a nurse’s assistant at a nearby nursing home, came home on August 8, 2007, and took a short nap while the children watched cartoons.
She recalled that the day’s plan seemed simple: after a brief rest, they would head out to shop for back-to-school supplies. However, as the sun blazed and temperatures soared above 100 degrees, the children begged their mother for a dip in the 4-foot-deep above-ground pool. According to a 2010 ABC report, Lewis had made it clear that the pool was off-limits without an adult present, a rule she insisted on for safety.
“I told them we couldn’t go into the pool since we were about to leave,” she later explained. “I was getting ready, and the kids wanted to play outside for just a little while.”
Lewis later claimed that shortly after, her 6-year-old son, A.J., came rushing inside and said, “Mama, Adrianna is in the pool.”
“At first, I thought he meant she was near the pool, so I told him, ‘Okay, go tell her to come inside,’” Lewis recalled.
However, when she looked outside, she saw A.J. “raking in the water with his hand, like he was trying to grab [Adrianna].” Panicked, Lewis immediately ran out of the house.
“She was face down in the pool when I reached her. Her skin was blue and purple,” Lewis said.
After Adrianna was rushed to the hospital, she tragically passed away.
In the aftermath, Lewis described what she did after the doctor informed her that Adrianna was dead: “I kissed her, I hugged her. I had to make contact with her, knowing it would be the last time. That’s when I realized my baby was gone.”
At first, authorities believed it was a tragic accident.
A.J.’s Account
Six months later, unaware that his words would hold such weight, 7-year-old A.J. walked into a courtroom filled with strangers.
In his previous police interview, the young boy explained, “My sister was submerged by Mama. My mother got upset because she did something she wasn’t supposed to do, so she threw her in the pool.”
A.J. then drew a picture for the court, showing himself standing near a tree, a stick figure floating in the pool, and another person standing beside it. When asked by the prosecution what he was doing in the picture, A.J. said, “I was playing in the tree.”
The court then questioned him further about the pool and the figures in his drawing.
In a video released from the trial, A.J. was asked about his mother’s actions in the image. His response, spoken in a matter-of-fact voice, struck everyone in the courtroom to the core: “She put her hand over her face.”
A.J. had also written “She did” and “too bad” on the side of the sketch, which he explained meant that his sister “died” and that it was “scary.” His words left an indelible mark on all who heard them, revealing the profound and unsettling truth of what had occurred that day.
Lewis was convicted by the jury of aggravated child abuse and first-degree murder, receiving a life sentence without the possibility of parole.
After the trial, A.J. began a new chapter, leaving the spotlight behind him. A loving couple adopted him, gave him a new name, and helped him disappear from the public eye.
Since that tragic day, A.J. has remained silent about the events that forever changed his life, choosing not to speak publicly about them—until now.
At 24, the young man, now a firefighter, revealed to the Daily Mail that he had never been “coached or anything like that” for his testimony. It was only later, during his teenage years, that he learned the full extent of the impact his words had on the outcome of his mother’s trial.
A.J. shared that he was “really, really nervous…” as a child during the trial. He recalled simply telling them exactly what he saw, “word for word,” despite the overwhelming pressure of having everyone stare at him. “But once it was over, I was just relieved that it was finished,” he said.
Reflecting on his early years with his sister and mother, A.J. described those times as “just darkness, trauma.” He explained that both he and Adrianna endured a great deal of mistreatment, including physical abuse.
He also recalled the moment he became a viral figure, after telling a judge at just seven years old that his mother had drowned his sister. Now, 17 years later, he is breaking his silence about those painful events. In a tweet from April 6, 2025, A.J. wrote: “When I told a judge at the age of seven that my mother drowned my sibling, I became viral. 17 years later, I’m breaking my silence.”
Reflecting on his journey, A.J. admitted, “I kind of remember some things about my previous life because it’s been a long time since I’ve had to talk about it.” He expressed that life with his new family was filled with love and happiness, describing it as a “360 difference” from the darkness of his past.
A.J. recalled the abuse he and Adrianna suffered, often not even seeing it coming. “It was literally at times we were blindsided,” he said, describing how their lives were marked by constant fear and trauma. For A.J., his sister was his “best friend,” and they shared an unspoken bond as they navigated their harsh reality together.
Since his testimony, A.J. has not seen his mother. “We are not allowed to see each other due to a court order, and I have wanted to maintain it that way, just to ensure that nothing is brought up again,” he explained. He admitted that revisiting those painful memories has been difficult: “All the emotions and feelings, as well as the traumas, are being rediscovered.”
Reflecting on the complexity of the situation, A.J. added, “It was heartbreaking. She is my mother, you know.” But despite the emotional weight, he found some relief in knowing that the torment they endured was finally coming to an end. “It was also a relief that it was over,” he said, acknowledging that while the truth had brought painful closure, it also marked the end of years of suffering.
The case you’re referring to is one of the most heartbreaking and shocking examples of a child’s bravery in the face of unimaginable trauma. It centers around A.J. Hutto, a young boy who, at just seven years old, testified in court against his mother, Amanda Lewis, after she was accused of killing his sister, Adrianna. The tragic incident occurred in 2007 when Adrianna died in what was initially thought to be an accidental drowning. However, A.J. bravely came forward with a devastating revelation—he told authorities that his mother had intentionally drowned Adrianna. His testimony would go on to change the course of the case and ultimately led to his mother’s conviction for aggravated child abuse and first-degree murder.
A.J.’s testimony was incredibly impactful, not only because of the gravity of the situation but also because of his age. A small child, standing in court surrounded by strangers, was forced to recount the traumatic events he witnessed. His words and his drawings in court, which depicted his mother’s actions, were chilling in their simplicity but also heart-wrenching in their honesty. He said, “She put her hand over her face,” when describing how his mother allegedly drowned his sister.
Since then, A.J. has lived under the radar, receiving a new identity and being adopted by a loving family. Now, at 24, he has begun to speak out about his experiences, offering a glimpse into the darkness of his early years, and how his life has changed for the better in the years since the trial.
The emotional complexity of this case is immense. A child, who should never have to endure such horror, had to step forward to speak a truth that would forever alter his relationship with his mother. At the same time, A.J.’s decision to speak up may have spared other children from the same fate. But it also speaks to the unfathomable trauma that children can endure, even in the midst of severe abuse, and the incredible strength it can take to break free from such a horrific situation.
What I think about this case is that it’s a powerful reminder of how resilience can sometimes come from the unlikeliest sources, and the painful but essential role that truth plays in justice. A.J.’s courage, even at such a young age, highlights how incredibly important it is to listen to children and believe them when they speak about their experiences, no matter how difficult or uncomfortable it may be for the adults around them. What happened to A.J. and Adrianna is a tragedy, but A.J.’s bravery in telling the truth has given him a voice that will hopefully inspire others to speak out against abuse.
