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Brandy Hutchins, a Florida woman involved in a custody battle over her 10-year-old son Aiden Hutchins, reportedly shot him and her 19-year-old daughter before turning the gun on herself on Sunday, August 27, 2023.
Brandy Hutchins was reportedly found dead besides her son and daughter in a mobile home days after a judge ordered her to turn over custody of the boy, Aiden Hutchins, to his father, who lives in Maine.
Alarms were raised after Brandy Hutchins, who was supposed to turn over the custody of her son to his father on Friday, August 25, failed to meet the evening deadline. Shortly after, police launched a search for the missing mother and son, who were found dead on Sunday in a mobile home besides her 19-year-old daughter, who had a different father.
Brandy Hutchins was ordered to turn over custody of her 10-year-old son by Friday evening
Detailing the incident in a news conference on Sunday, Sheriff Grady Judd said that Brandy Hutchins's ex-husband came down from Maine to Florida court on Thursday. This was after his ex-wife failed to turn over custody of their son as ordered by the court earlier in the week. During the hearing on Thursday, a judge reportedly ordered Brandy Hutchins to hand over custody by Friday evening.
Sheriff Grady Judd said that officers were involved after Brandy failed to meet the Friday deadline. Investigators then reportedly began a search for the 10-year-old boy so his father could take him back to Maine.
Following an intensive search effort where family and the boy's father pleaded for information about his whereabouts on social media, authorities reportedly received a tip on Sunday. It led them to believe Brandy Hutchins was inside a mobile home in the Waverly neighborhood of Lake Wales.
Upon arrival, police found the children dead at the scene and the mother killed in a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Following the devastating discovery, in a press conference, Judd said that preliminary investigations indicated that the mother Brandy Hutchins shot the children and then shot herself in the mobile home. He said:
“From every indication in our investigation now, has murdered her 10-year-old child and her 19-year-old child. Murdered them. And then subsequent to that, she shot herself. We’re devastated for this beautiful 10-year-old child, all because mom did not want to turn the child over to the rightful father pursuant to a court order.”
The boy was identified as Aiden Hutchins by his father on Sunday in a Facebook post. Meanwhile, the identity of the 19-year-old girl who had a different father is still unknown. In a Facebook post, the boy’s father, Race Hutchins, wrote:
“It is with a heavy heart that I am writing this to give everyone an update about my son Aiden Hutchins who was missing and taken by his mother on August 25 2023 who decided to murder him.. he was killed by her today  August 27 2023.. he will forever be in my heart and did not deserve this. Rest in peace my sweet boy I will see you again. I love you.”
Judd said that there was no indication that Brandy, who had no criminal history or mental health issues, was capable of the violence. Judd added that he was devastated by the incident that could have been avoided if the mom had only complied with the court order.
