Corie Walsh, 40, pleaded not guilty Thursday to three murder charges in the Sept. 1 death of her 2-year-old son Barrett in Frankfort, Illinois. Her husband, mother and other relatives attended the hearing; her lawyer said the family supports her.
A court petition says a neighbor found Barrett hanging in the basement and officers found Walsh in a bathtub surrounded by “bloody water.” Prosecutors allege Walsh had expressed intent to kill her other children, including her infant, and her husband; her defense team said she was experiencing a “brief psychotic disorder” at the time. Her next court date is scheduled for October.
Barrett’s online obituary, published less than 24 hours before the hearing, was the family’s first known public statement. It remembered him, also known as “Bear,” as “joyful, funny, entertaining, rambunctious” and said he loved dancing, animals and bedtime stories.
