Official: Ohio River too high to search for body of 6-year-old Middletown boy

Mar. 2—Rescuers are not searching the Ohio River today for the body of a Middletown boy who allegedly was killed by his mother, then dumped into the river, according to a Middletown official.

She said the water level of the river will be checked every day to determine whether it's safe to search for James Hutchinson, 6, a first-grader at Rosa Parks Elementary School.

The district will hold a vigil for James at 6:45 p.m. today at Barnitz Stadium.

James' mother Brittany Gosney, 29, of the 500 block of Crawford Street, is charged with murder, abuse of corpse and tampering with evidence. Her boyfriend, James Hamilton, 42, is charged with abuse of a corpse and tampering with evidence.

Gosney reported James missing about 10:15 a.m. Sunday to Middletown police, but further questioning by detectives led to her arrest and admission the boy was dead. She told police that she and Hamilton drove James to Lawrenceburg, Ind. and dumped his body in the river.

» Timeline: How the murder case of Middletown 6-year-old James Hutchinson unfolded

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

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» 'He would give hugs to all his teachers': Middletown school officials mourn first-grader allegedly killed by mother

» PHOTOS: Investigation into the death of 6-year-old Middletown boy allegedly killed by mother

» PHOTOS: Large crowd gathers for candlelight vigil in memory of James Hutchinson