A 2-year-old Illinois boy was found hanging from the rafters of his family’s basement by a horrified neighbor, who then discovered his mother upstairs in a bathtub allegedly attempting to take her own life, according to court documents.
Corie Walsh, 40, has been charged with murdering her young son, Barrett Walsh, in the family’s home in Frankfort, a suburb southwest of Chicago.
The case has drawn attention because, according to prosecutors, Walsh had been discussing the high-profile trial of Massachusetts mother Lindsay Clancy just hours before Barrett’s death. Walsh allegedly told police that she believed her son was the “devil” and the “anti-Christ.”
Mom of four Corie Walsh is accused of murdering her 2-year-old son Barrett.Facebook/Corie Walsh
Neighbor Found Toddler Hanging in Basement
According to court documents obtained by CNN, a female neighbor went to the Walsh family’s home at around 4 p.m. Tuesday and discovered Barrett hanging by his neck from a rope in the basement, with his feet off the ground.
The neighbor immediately removed the ligature and lowered the boy to the floor before beginning CPR and calling 911.
Paramedics rushed Barrett to a hospital, but the child could not be saved.
Authorities have not publicly released a detailed account of what prompted the neighbor to enter the home or what happened immediately before she discovered the toddler.
Walsh told cops she believed Barrett was the “devil” and the “anti-Christ.”WILL COUNTY ADULT DETENTION FACILITY
Mother Allegedly Found Injured Upstairs
The same neighbor then went upstairs and allegedly found Walsh in a bathtub, where court documents say she was “actively harming herself” with a knife.
Walsh had cuts to her wrists and thighs, according to the documents.
The neighbor reportedly took the knife away from her and placed it in the sink before using a towel to apply pressure to one of Walsh’s wounds.
According to prosecutors, Walsh questioned the neighbor about taking the knife because she had been attempting to kill herself.
Walsh also allegedly told the neighbor that her son, whom she called “Bear,” was downstairs in the basement.
Police Say Walsh Described Her Son as the “Anti-Christ”
While receiving treatment at a hospital, Walsh spoke with police about what had happened.
According to court documents, she described how she killed Barrett. Prosecutors said her account was consistent with the physical evidence investigators found at the home.
Walsh had previously described her son to police as the “anti-Christ” and the “devil,” according to the documents.
The disturbing allegations have become a central part of the case as prosecutors and Walsh’s defense attorneys address her mental state at the time of the killing.
Her attorney, Andrea Lyon, told ABC 7 Chicago that Walsh “was experiencing a psychotic episode.”
“This is a tragedy, for the Walsh family all of whom are mourning the loss of this child,” Lyon said.
“It is our hope that through a thorough presentation and investigation of the facts, that all of us will come to see this heartbreak for what it is.”
Lindsay Clancy Case Drew Walsh’s Attention
The alleged killing occurred against the backdrop of another high-profile case involving a mother accused of killing her children.
Lindsay Clancy’s murder trial in Massachusetts ended in a mistrial Friday after jurors were unable to reach a unanimous verdict.
Clancy was accused of killing her three young children by strangling them with exercise bands in January 2023. Her defense argued that she was legally insane at the time because she was suffering from postpartum psychosis and had been prescribed powerful psychiatric medications.
The case attracted national attention and remained in the headlines throughout Clancy’s more than six-week trial.
According to the allegations in Walsh’s case, she had discussed Clancy’s trial shortly before Barrett was killed.
Defense Focuses on Alleged Psychosis
Walsh’s attorney is similarly pointing to an alleged psychotic episode as a possible explanation for her client’s actions.
That does not determine Walsh’s legal responsibility, however. Prosecutors will still have to establish the elements of the murder charge, while the defense may present evidence concerning her mental state at the time of the alleged killing.
The investigation remains ongoing, and many details surrounding Barrett’s death have yet to be established publicly.
For the Walsh family, the criminal case comes alongside the devastating loss of a young child. As the legal proceedings continue, investigators and attorneys are expected to examine Walsh’s behavior, her mental state and the events inside the Frankfort home leading up to the toddler’s death.