A.J. Hutto, now 24 years old, has broken his silence about the traumatic experience he endured as a seven-year-old when he courageously testified in court against his mother, Amanda Lewis, accusing her of drowning his younger sister, Adrianna. The case shook a quiet Florida courtroom in 2008 and remains a heart-wrenching moment in legal and family tragedy.
A.J., whose name has been changed to protect his identity, described how, as a small child, he witnessed his mother angrily dunk his seven-year-old sister’s head underwater in their family pool, leading to her death. His calm, detailed testimony included drawing a sketch showing his mother “killing” Adrianna beside the pool, which was pivotal in securing Lewis’s conviction.
Lewis claimed at trial that Adrianna’s drowning was an accident following a quick nap and denied wrongdoing. However, evidence collected during the investigation, including A.J.’s descriptions and a bruise resembling a handprint on Adrianna, led to Lewis’s conviction for first-degree murder and aggravated child abuse with a life sentence.
Since the trial, A.J. was adopted by a loving family and changed his name. He now works as a firefighter and has chosen to keep distance from his biological mother. He says his testimony was never coached and that he told the truth despite the overwhelming pressure.
I went viral for telling a court aged 7 that my mom drowned my sister. I'm ending my silence 17 years later https://t.co/3ki6AN2GeD pic.twitter.com/eSz0RJ3qju
— Daily Mail US (@Daily_MailUS) April 6, 2025
A.J. openly reflects on the darkness and trauma of his early childhood, including physical abuse experienced by both him and Adrianna. Despite the hard past, he describes his life with his adoptive family as a complete transformation filled with love and healing.
