FRANKFORT, IL — As a Frankfort mother charged in her toddler son's hanging death entered a plea of not guilty, her high-profile attorney expressed concerns about the mental health care she may be receiving in the Will County jail.
Attorney Andrea Lyon said Corie Walsh's husband and mother were at court Thursday and are supportive of the 40-year-old, who is charged with three counts of first-degree murder. She is accused of killing 2-year-old son Barrett Walsh, also known as "Bear."
"They all know this is not who she is," Lyon said at the Will County courthouse, adding that Walsh had never been violent previously.
"She was psychotic, and they all know that," Lyon added. "They want her to get better."
Lyon also said she subpoenaed records from the Will County jail to determine what treatment Walsh is receiving. When asked if her legal team would attempt again to seek pre-trial release, Lyon said she received those records on Thursday and will review them to determine next steps.
" We have to make that decision based on what we learn and our best assessment," Lyon said. "But yes, we do want to get her into a hospital if we possibly can."
Choking back tears, Lyon added she is "very worried" about Walsh. The attorney alleged Walsh had not been permitted to bathe until recently.
Clad in a red jumpsuit, Walsh also appeared tearful during her brief court appearance. She is charged with three different counts under three different theories of first-degree murder, a common prosecutorial approach, Lyon said.
Speaking outside the courthouse, Lyon declined to say whether family members noticed any issues with Walsh's mental health before Barrett's death on Sept. 1.
Prosecutors say Walsh has three other children who were found unharmed. Officials say a neighbor found Walsh in a bathtub with evidence of self-harm before finding Barrett's body hanging from a rafter in the basement of the family's Frankfort home.
Walsh's next pre-trial hearing is scheduled for Oct. 26.
Her case comes on the heels of a mistrial in the case of Lindsay Clancy, a Massachusetts mother charged with killing her three small children. Prosecutors said Walsh had followed the Clancy case closely, discussing it with friends the day of Barrett's death.
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