Background

In 2007, on a sweltering August afternoon in the tiny town of Esto, Florida, a young family would be changed forever. On August 8th, 27-year-old Amanda Lewis placed a desperate call to 911 after pulling her 7-year-old daughter, Adrianna Hutto, out of their inflatable swimming pool.

The child was rushed to nearby Bay Medical Hospital, and though they were able to briefly bring back a faint pulse, tragically, that afternoon, Adrianna was pronounced dead. According to Amanda, she had been inside the house when her 6-year-old son, A.J., came inside and told her that Adrianna had fallen into the pool. When Amanda pulled her out of the pool to attempt CPR, her face and lips were already blue and purple.

What appeared on the surface to have been a tragic accident would soon be called into question when Amanda’s son, A.J., would tell a different version of events, culminating in the trial and conviction of his mother for the murder of his half-sister.

However, there has been significant debate over both Amanda Lewis's guilt and whether she received a fair trial. In November 2025, Lewis filed a Motion for Post-Conviction Relief regarding issues with some of the jurors at her trial. Did Amanda Lewis murder her daughter, or has she spent the last nearly two decades in prison for a crime she did not commit?

September 6, 2007 article from The Dothan Eagle

An Average Life

Amanda Lewis was born on September 7th, 1979, in Florida. When she was 17, Amanda gave birth to a son named Alex, who died from a seizure when he was 16 months old. She later had a daughter, Adrianna, and a son, A.J., with two different fathers.

In 2005, Amanda and her two children moved into the home of her boyfriend Alan Carnley in Esto, Florida. Esto was a tiny town just across the Alabama border, about 100 miles northwest of Tallahassee, with a population of less than 400 people according to 2005 census data.

Amanda found work as a nursing assistant at a local nursing and rehabilitation center, and as most medical professionals often do, she frequently had to work long shifts and odd hours. As a single mother, Amanda did the best she could for herself and her two children.

Photo of A.J. and Adrianna (Vocal Media)

At their home, Adrianna and A.J. shared a bedroom while Carnley’s son from a previous relationship slept in another bedroom. Those who knew Adrianna and AJ were fond of the siblings, who were only a year apart in age.

Adrianna was described as an energetic child with a bright spark; however, she also dealt with ADHD and other behavioral problems that sometimes made parenting challenging. A.J., on the other hand, was perfectly content in his own little world, happy staying quiet and letting his sister take the spotlight.

The couple worked hard to provide for their blended family. Alan worked during the day as a meat cutter, while Amanda worked the overnight shift at the nursing home. On the surface, they looked like a happy young family. All that would change in 2007, when a horrific incident would shatter their lives forever.

August 8th, 2007

The morning of August 8th, 2007, started out like any other day. Amanda finished working the night shift at the nursing home and returned to the house she shared with her children. Reportedly, she had planned to take Adrianna and AJ shopping for school supplies that afternoon, in preparation for the upcoming school year.

What happened next is a subject of debate. Some sources say that Amanda needed to do some chores around the house, while Amanda reportedly claimed that she had laid down for a quick rest after working all night.

According to Amanda, the children had asked to go in the pool, as it was a particularly hot summer day. They had a small above-ground pool in the yard, but Amanda said she would not let the children in the pool unsupervised and told them they could play outside for a few minutes while she prepared for their outing.

That afternoon, a frantic call came in to 911. Amanda Lewis told the dispatcher that she had found her daughter in the pool and that she was not breathing. First responders arrived on scene to find that Amanda had pulled 7-year-old Adrianna from the pool and had attempted to administer CPR before their arrival.

Adrianna was airlifted to the nearby Bay Medical hospital, and approximately an hour later, she was officially pronounced dead.

August 11, 2007 article from The Dothan Eagle

Suspicion Mounts

Initially, police had no reason to believe that Adrianna’s death had been anything more than a tragic accident. That all changed when, later that night, Amanda’s mother, Brenda, and her husband, Chuck, arrived at the Holmes County Sheriff’s Department with 6-year-old A.J. The boy, who was too young to be left unsupervised, had been picked up by his grandparents. What he had told them was shocking.

A.J. stated that his mother had dunked Adrianna in the pool as punishment for misbehaving. This shocking confession set in motion an investigation to determine whether Adrianna’s death had been an accident, as initially presumed.

According to A.J., Adrianna had sprayed the television set with a bottle of Windex, which sent Amanda into a rage. Amanda then allegedly dragged Adrianna outside and, with her hand on the child’s face, dunked her into the pool. This information prompted an investigation into the nature of Adrianna’s death.

Investigators noted that, despite two young children living in the home, there was a distinct lack of children’s toys. When asked about this, Amanda told them that she had taken away the toys as punishment for bad behavior and had temporarily placed them in the shed.

However, after searching the shed, investigators were unable to locate any toys, aside from a few scattered in the yard. There were suspicions of neglect inside the home, where conditions were reportedly unhygienic and ill-kempt. The lack of toys, coupled with the perceived negligence in maintaining the home, raised red flags.

Photo of A.J. and Adrianna’s bedroom (Holmes County Sheriff)

The following day, Amanda voluntarily agreed to a polygraph test. She claimed that she did not kill Adrianna, and the test results agreed- Amanda passed, and on paper, it seemed that she was telling the truth.

Over the course of the investigation, investigators also learned that Adrianna was very hyperactive, having been previously diagnosed with ADHD. Amanda confessed that she had struggled in the past with her daughter’s behavioral issues, and that she had previously found it difficult to bond with her, but that their relationship had improved significantly over time.

After conducting their investigation, authorities felt they had enough to bring charges against Amanda. In September of 2007, around a month after Adrianna’s death, Amanda Lewis was arrested and charged with first-degree murder. She was offered a plea bargain in which she would plead guilty to manslaughter in exchange for a ten-year sentence. However, Amanda, maintaining her innocence, went to trial instead.

September 9, 2007 article from The Tampa Tribune

Trial and Conviction

The trial began in late February 2008. The prosecution’s primary evidence included the testimony from AJ, the evidence of neglect seen at the home, and the results of Adrianna’s autopsy. According to the medical examiner’s report, Adrianna had bruising on her forehead that aligned with AJ’s testimony of their mother forcefully pushing Adrianna under the water.

The prosecution also called some of Amanda’s coworkers to testify, who claimed to have heard Amanda venting about Adrianna misbehaving and making offhand comments about killing her. A parent expressing in a moment of anger that they could kill their child is not unheard of, but given the circumstances, it did not bode well for Amanda.

Photo of A.J. testifying at Amanda Lewis’s trial (Court TV)

The defense pushed back against AJ’s credibility as a witness. In addition to his young age, his story had changed multiple times, even while on the stand. The defense also questioned the legitimacy of the autopsy report, as the medical examiner who performed the autopsy, Dr. Charles Siebert, had a history of negligence and had been relieved of duty on more than one occasion.

Despite the defense bringing valid arguments against the credibility of two of the prosecution’s key points, the jury was not persuaded. After a very short deliberation, Amanda Lewis was found guilty of first-degree murder and aggravated child abuse. The following month, a judge sentenced her to life in prison with no possibility of parole plus 30 years.

March 18, 2008 article from The Dothan Eagle

Controversy and Appeals

In 2010, Amanda would file an appeal, in which she claimed that by the merger doctrine, the felony murder charge against her was invalid. The appeal claimed that a single act of child abuse leading to the death of that child should preclude the use of aggravated child abuse as the underlying felony charge. This appeal did not grant new consideration of her case or a change in her sentencing, and the original conviction was upheld.

In the years since Amanda’s conviction, speculation about her case has grown. As the defense pointed out, AJ’s testimony changed constantly. When asked on the stand if he knew the difference between truth, lies, and a story, AJ had responded, “I don’t know.” His account of the events leading up to his sister’s death included many inconsistencies, and he flipped back and forth between being inside and outside when Adrianna died.

Drawing by A.J. that was used in court (Court TV)

The defense also questioned the legitimacy of Dr. Siebert’s autopsy report, and rightfully so- Dr. Siebert was fired in 2007 after many instances of negligence. One of his final and most controversial reports was on the death of 14-year-old Martin Lee Anderson, who died while incarcerated at a youth detention center in Panama City, Florida. The guards at the boot camp-style facility continued to force Anderson to exercise after he had become fatigued and stopped.

Anderson then became unresponsive and was taken off life support the following day. Dr. Siebert claimed Anderson died of natural causes, while another medical examiner found evidence of abuse and suffocation.

Speculation has also been generated by A.J.’s time alone with Chuck Burns, his step-grandfather. Some believe that Chuck, who has openly admitted his dislike for Amanda, coached the traumatized young boy on what to say.

Photo of A.J. in court with the prosecutor (LADbible)

Brenda, who has since divorced Chuck, has said she would not be surprised if Chuck coached A.J. on what to say, though Chuck has denied the claim. If Chuck did plant the story, it would certainly account for the repeated inconsistencies in A.J.’s later statements.

In November of 2025, Amanda filed a Motion for Post-Conviction Relief. This motion points to alleged Constitutional errors with Amanda’s conviction. The motion, filed by attorney Natlie Figgers, is available to read online.

According to the document, Amanda’s right to a trial by jury and due process was denied due to the court reconfiguring the jury without her present, a juror failing to reveal that she had overheard a law enforcement officer working Amanda’s case claim in public that she should never have had children and was a drug addict, and the court allowing a juror who was only 17, and thus disqualified for jury service.

The motion also noted that Amanda is entitled to a new trial under Florida’s constitution due to newly discovered evidence, which is detailed in the 40 or so remaining pages of the motion. Since the filing of that motion, Amanda’s case has been reopened and is now up for reexamination, which may lead to a retrial if the motion's provisions are granted.

Photo of Amanda Lewis with Piers Morgan (IMDb)

Closing Thoughts

Whether you believe Amanda Lewis is guilty or innocent, there exist credible issues with how her case was handled that will likely see it return to trial in the near future. A new jury will be asked to decide if Amanda Lewis deserves to be set free or if she should remain in prison for the remainder of her life. Whatever comes next, one thing is for sure: there’s more to this case than meets the eye.

Sources:

Figgers, Natl. DEFENDANT LEWIS’ MOTION FOR POST-CONVICTION RELIEF PURSUANT TO FLORIDA RULE OF CRIMINAL PROCEDURE 3.850. IN THE CIRCUIT COURT, legal, 2007, pp. i–42. https://www.evidenceprofblog.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/981/2025/11/DF-PC-Motion-3.850-Final-Draft-11.7.25.pdf

“Free Amanda Lewis.” https://www.freeamandalewis.com/

FL v. Amanda Lewis (2008). Court TV, https://www.courttv.com/trials/florida-v-lewis-poolside-nightmare/

Kilmer, Chris, Ashleigh Banfield & Gail Deutsch. “What A.J. Saw: Mother’s Fate Hinged on 7-Year-Old’s Testimony.” ABC News, 6 Dec. 2010, abcnews.com/US/florida-murder-amanda-lewis-fate-hinged-year-olds/story?id=12045745

‘Six-Year-Old Son Accuses Mother of Drowning His Half-Sister in a Pool | Amanda Lewis Case Analysis.” YouTube, uploaded by Dr. Todd Grande, 20 May 2024, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySBnkghh1IU

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