A.J. Hutto was just 7 years old when he bravely testified against his mother, Amanda Lewis, revealing she drowned his 7-year-old sister, Adrianna, in their backyard pool. Now 24, A.J. is speaking out publicly for the first time, saying she is “100% guilty.”
Back in 2008, a Florida courtroom was stunned when A.J., tearful but determined, described how “mama got mad” and “dunked” his sister in the pool. His testimony turned what was first thought to be an accidental drowning into a murder case.
Lewis, a nurse’s assistant, claimed she told the kids not to swim while she rested, but later found Adrianna face-down in the pool. A.J., however, told police and the court that he saw his mother throw Adrianna in and hold her underwater. He even drew a picture to explain what happened.
In 2008, Amanda Lewis was found guilty of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole.
A.J. was adopted, given a new identity, and disappeared from the public eye—until now. Speaking to the Daily Mail, the now-firefighter said he wasn’t coached, just told the truth.
“I just said what I saw, word for word,” he shared, recalling a childhood filled with “darkness, trauma, and abuse.” He called Adrianna his best friend and has chosen not to reconnect with his mother, saying it would reopen old wounds.
“It was heartbreaking,” he said. “But also a relief. What we were going through finally ended.”