#Boyfriend admits helping Ohio mom dump 6-year-old’s body in river

The boyfriend of an Ohio mother has admitted to helping the woman dump the body of her 6-year-old son into a river.

James Hamilton, 43, of Middletown, pleaded guilty Tuesday to kidnapping, gross abuse of a corpse and child endangerment in the February death of James Hutchinson, whose body is still missing.

Authorities said Hamilton helped the boy’s mother, Brittany Gosney, 29, toss James’ body into the Ohio River in Lawrenceburg, Indiana, after he was killed while Gosney tried to abandon him and his two siblings, ages 7 and 9, at a Preble County park on Feb. 26.

Gosney, who pleaded guilty last week to murdering her son, was pressured by Hamilton to get rid of her children, police said. She previously tried to give up custody of her three kids, but met a “number of barriers,” according to records cited by the Cincinnati Enquirer.

Gosney took her three children to the park and tried to drive off, but James grabbed for the door handle as she sped away, fatally striking his head while being dragged, police said.

Gosney left the park and returned for her three children about 40 minutes later to find James dead and her other two kids unharmed. She then returned to their home, court documents cited by WXIX show.

Gosney and Hamilton proceeded to put James’ body in a spare room for two days before driving it to the Ohio River, where they tied a concrete block to the first-grader’s body to weigh it down, court records indicate.

Hamilton faces up to 19 years in prison at his sentencing set for October. Gosney, who initially claimed she was not guilty by reason of insanity, faces 15 years to life when she is due to be sentenced on Sept. 13.