Corie Walsh, 40, appeared in court Tuesday for a detention hearing after being charged with first-degree murder in the death of her 2-year-old son, Barrett "Bear" Walsh. The child was found hanged in the basement of their suburban Chicago home on September 1.
Walsh's husband, Michael Walsh, 44, and her mother did not attend the hearing because they were at their son's funeral. According to attorney Robert Kerr, the family "fully support" Walsh and asked the court to note their "unwavering support for her."
Walsh's defense team, led by Andrea Lyon, requested that Walsh be released to her mother's care for psychiatric treatment pending trial. However, Judge Amy Bertani ruled that Walsh would be held in jail, ordering the State Attorney's Office to ensure she receives necessary medical care. "I can't make this decision out of compassion or empathy," the judge stated. "There is clear and convincing evidence that she is involved in [a] first-degree murder offense and is a clear and present threat to her husband and other children."
Walsh's next court appearance is scheduled for September 24, and she has not yet entered a plea. Prosecutors presented new details during the hearing, including allegations that Walsh was discussing the trial of Lindsay Clancy in a group chat on the day of her son's death and had intentions to poison her husband. The defense countered that Walsh was in a chat group discussing conspiracy theories related to Clancy's husband but indicated a change of mind on the day of the incident, texting friends, "It's manslaughter. Please help. I'm really freaking out."
The defense team criticized comparisons to the Clancy case, with Lyon calling such speculation "baseless and cruel." Clancy pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity after admitting to strangling her three children in January 2023, citing postpartum psychosis and overmedication. Walsh's lawyers have stated their client was suffering a "psychotic episode."
Neighbors discovered Barrett hanging from a rafter in the basement. Prosecutors said Walsh told police she killed her son because he was "the devil" and "the Antichrist." Lyon expressed disappointment with the judge's ruling but vowed to continue investigating and presenting the defense's case that Walsh was psychotic and the killing was not first-degree murder.
