Mom Accused of Killing Son Pleads Not Guilty

Corie Walsh pleaded not guilty Thursday in the alleged murder of her 2-year-old son, Barrett Walsh. Her husband was present in court to support her during the preliminary hearing.

Walsh, 40, is accused of leaving her toddler, Barrett, hanging from a rafter in their Frankfort, Illinois, home on September 1. The boy's two older siblings discovered him and sought help from a neighbor, who then called 911. Paramedics attempted CPR but were unsuccessful, and the child was pronounced dead at the scene. An autopsy later confirmed the cause of death as asphyxia due to ligature compression of the neck.

Authorities found Walsh in the bathtub, clothed and covered in blood, with slash wounds to her wrists and thighs, suggesting a suicide attempt. Court documents indicate Walsh allegedly confessed to killing her son, claiming he was the "anti-Christ" and "devil."

An obituary for Barrett described him as a joyful child who loved playing games with his siblings and enjoyed songs and dancing. He is remembered as a cherished younger brother to Grady and Anna and a caring older brother to Cormick.

During a previous custody hearing, prosecutors suggested Walsh was influenced by the high-profile case of Lindsay Clancy, a Massachusetts mother accused of killing her three children. Clancy's defense argued she was suffering from postpartum psychosis. Walsh's defense attorney, Robert Kerr, acknowledged that Walsh had sent