Police: Middletown mother tried to abandon 6-year-old boy before accidentally running him over in parking lot

Gosney drove to a Preble County wildlife area to abandon her son James Robert Hutchinson and then ran over him when he tried to get back in the car, according to court records.

Gosney reported Hutchinson missing about 10:15 a.m. Sunday, but further questioning by detectives led to her arrest and admission the boy was dead.

“The defendant admitted to taking her child to Rush Run in Preble County where she placed him outside of her vehicle. Defendant said she was going to leave the child in the park,” Detective Jon Hoover wrote in the court documents.

The boy attempted to get back in the vehicle, and Gosney told police she sped off, dragging James for a distance.

Gosney told police she left the park and returned about 30 to 40 minutes later and found the boy in the middle of the parking lot with a head injury. He was dead, police said.

“(Gosney) stated she picked the child up, put him back in the vehicle and drove back (to her residence) where she took the child in the house and placed him in an upstairs bedroom,” the complaint states.

The following day she drove to the Ohio River and disposed of the boy’s body in the water, she told police.

Hamilton admitted to police he kept the boy’s body in the Crawford Street house and then took part in disposing of it in the Ohio River, according to court documents filed by Hoover.

There are other big questions we’re following today. They include:

Why was he reported missing?

That’s not clear. Middletown police posted to Facebook on Sunday morning at about 11 a.m. they were looking for Hutchinson. He was described as last being seen in the area of Crawford Street and 3 feet tall and 42 pounds. The post indicated he was last seen wearing a red shift and red Batman pajama pants.

Who are the suspects?

We’ll be working today to learn more about Gosney and Hamilton. They are expected to make their initial court appearance this afternoon on the charges.

Where is the body?

Officials are continuing to search for the body.

“We will be working with trained searchers in an attempt to recover James’s body,” police said. “The river is very high and treacherous, so we will not be disclosing the exact location in hopes of avoiding another tragic incident.”

Many people were part of the search for Hutchinson on Sunday before his death was disclosed, and police thanked them in a news release, but the recent rains and melting snow have caused a significant rise in the river. That could affect the search.

What happens to the other children?

Two other children were taken away from the couple, but it’s not clear whose children they are and if Gosney and Hamilton lived together.