A mother in Frankfort, Illinois, Corie Walsh, 40, has been charged with the murder of her 2-year-old son, Bennet Walsh. Authorities allege Walsh found the boy hanging by his neck from rafters in the basement of their home on Tuesday afternoon. A neighbor discovered the child and began performing CPR while calling 911. Bennet Walsh was transported to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.
According to court documents, the same neighbor found Walsh upstairs in a bathtub, reportedly attempting to harm herself with a knife. The neighbor disarmed Walsh and tended to her wounds before first responders arrived. Walsh allegedly told the neighbor that her son, whom she nicknamed "Bear," was in the basement and later told police that she believed Bennet was the "anti-Christ" and the "devil."
Walsh's attorney stated that the mother of four was experiencing a psychotic episode at the time of the incident. "This is a tragedy, for the Walsh family all of whom are mourning the loss of this child," the attorney, Andrea 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 it is."
This case has drawn comparisons to that of Lindsay Clancy, a Massachusetts mother who faced charges of murdering her three young children. Clancy's trial recently concluded with a mistrial after a jury could not reach a verdict on whether she was guilty of murder or not guilty by reason of insanity. Her defense team argued that she was suffering from postpartum psychosis and adverse effects from psychiatric medications. Walsh allegedly discussed Clancy's trial hours before her son's death, according to officials.