New Lenox Mother Charged in Toddler’s Death Had Husband’s Support, Attorney Says

The husband of a New Lenox woman charged in the death of their 2-year-old son continues to support her, according to her defense attorney, even as prosecutors say the woman had also plotted to poison the child and had been fixated on a widely covered Massachusetts murder trial before the killing.

Corie Walsh, 38, told officers she killed her son Barrett on Sept. 1 because she believed he was the “devil” and “Antichrist,” according to documents obtained by Fox News Digital. The boy was found hanging in the basement of the family’s home from a rafter. A neighbor discovered him, began CPR and called 911; court documents describe him as “cold and had no pulse” when found. Barrett was pronounced dead later that day at New Lenox Hospital. His cause of death was ruled asphyxia due to ligature compression of the neck.

Walsh was treated at a local hospital for self-inflicted wounds to her wrists and thighs.

Her defense attorneys say her husband and mother “have unwavering love and support” for her. Neither attended Walsh’s detention hearing on Sept. 8, which fell on the same day as Barrett’s funeral.

Attorney cites mental illness

Andrea Lyon, a defense attorney for Walsh who previously served on Casey Anthony’s defense team, said in a statement to Fox News Digital that Walsh’s actions stemmed from mental illness.

“This is a tragedy for the Walsh family, all of whom are mourning the loss of this child,” Lyon said. “It is also a tragedy in that Corie herself was experiencing a psychotic episode at the time this happened.”

Lyon acknowledged Walsh was “psychotic” at the time but rejected any link between the killing and Walsh’s reported interest in the trial of Lindsay Clancy, a Massachusetts woman accused of killing her three children who has said she was experiencing postpartum psychosis.

“They are not correlated at all. It’s just accidental,” Lyon said, calling suggestions of a copycat crime “baseless and cruel.”

Court documents state Walsh had “recently become very invested” in the Clancy case and had been “actively discussing” it via group text with friends until 12:30 p.m. on Sept. 1 — roughly three and a half hours before the scene at her home was discovered.

Psychiatric defenses rare in cases involving children

Retired Chicago Police Chief of Detectives Eugene Roy told Fox News Digital that psychiatric defenses rarely succeed in cases like this one and are more commonly seen in cases involving adult victims.

“It’s very rare. It’s more predominant in adult cases,” Roy said. “Cases like this are, with children involved, because of the publicity and just the pain it causes the community are what we call heaters. There’s a lot of media focus on them. There’s a lot of attention. There’s a lot of demands to resolve the case promptly.”

Fox News Digital reported that it reached out to Walsh’s attorney and her husband for comment.