Sheriff: Florida mom kills 2 children, herself after court order to return 10-year-old son to Maine

POLK COUNTY, FLORIDA (WMTW) - A mother is accused of killing her two children following a custody battle with her ex-husband and father of one of the children.

The Polk County Sheriff’s Office says last Thursday, Brandy Hutchins’ ex-husband flew from Maine to Florida to appear in court after Hutchins had not turned over custody of their 10-year-old son.

During court, the judge ordered Hutchins to turn over the child to his father by Friday evening.

“There was absolutely zero evidence in the court order or testimony that there was any violence or threat of violence or danger,” Sheriff Grady Judd said.

When Hutchins did not turn over the child, detectives worked through the weekend to find the 10-year-old so his father could take him back to Maine, Judd said.

“We pinged phones, we looked for the child,” Judd said during a news conference, adding friends of the family used social media posts to ask for help.

On Sunday, deputies were called to a mobile home in Lake Wales, Florida town, around 12:30 p.m. Officials say they were told Hutchins was in the home with her 19-year-old daughter and the 10-year-old son.

According to Judd, Hutchins murdered her two children and then shot and killed herself.

“I can’t imagine a more horrific set of circumstances,” Judd said. “My heart breaks for all the family, who are 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.”

Judd noted Hutchins had no criminal history, saying there was no indentation there should have been violence.

“There is a lot of investigation to still occur. We are heartbroken and devastated over this horrible event,” Judd said.