A former Catholic school classmate of Illinois mother Corie Walsh has spoken of her disbelief at the allegations surrounding the death of Walsh’s two-year-old son, Barrett “Bear”.
Walsh, 40, is accused of killing the toddler at the family’s home in Frankfort, south-west of Chicago, on September 1. Prosecutors allege that Barrett was found hanging from a basement rafter, while Walsh was later discovered upstairs in a bath surrounded by bloody water after apparently injuring herself with a knife.
The former classmate, who has not been in contact with Walsh since their school days, described her as “beautiful, kind, intelligent, talented and giving”. She said Walsh had mixed easily with pupils from different social groups and was involved in a range of school activities, including the poms team, the Helping Hands club, senior Powderpuff games and liturgy at Mass.
“Never in a million years could I have imagined something so tragic,” the woman told TMZ.
She said those memories were difficult to reconcile with prosecutors’ allegation that Walsh told investigators she had killed her son because she believed he was the “devil” and the “Antichrist”. Asked whether she had ever seen signs of extreme religious thinking when they were teenagers, she replied: “Not at all.”
Although Walsh and her classmates regularly attended Mass, the former pupil said that was largely because they went to a Catholic school. “None of us were church freaks,” she said, adding that Walsh had never appeared consumed by religion or fearful of God.
The former classmate stressed that she could not comment on how Walsh might have changed in the years since they left school. She said her sympathy was with everyone affected by the case, “most especially for the loss of an innocent little boy”.
Corie Walsh remains in custody
Walsh faces three counts of first-degree murder and was ordered to remain in custody after appearing in Will County Court in Joliet on September 8. Judge Amy Bertani said there was “clear and convincing evidence” linking Walsh to a first-degree murder offence and that she posed “a clear and present threat” to her husband and other children. ([abcnews.com](https://abcnews.com/amp/GMA/News/mom-charged-murdering-2-year-child-ordered-held/story?id=136281904&utm_source=openai))
Prosecutors allege that a neighbour found Barrett in the basement and lowered him to the floor before attempting CPR. Court documents state that the boy was cold and had no pulse. His cause of death was listed as asphyxia caused by ligature compression of the neck.
The same neighbour allegedly found Walsh upstairs, fully clothed in the bath. Authorities say she later admitted killing her son after being taken to hospital.
An infant was found unharmed at the property, while two school-aged children returned home as the emergency response was under way. Walsh’s husband, Michael Walsh, was out of state at the time, according to court filings.
The case has also drawn attention to Walsh’s alleged interest in the murder trial of Massachusetts mother Lindsay Clancy. Prosecutors say Walsh was discussing the case in a group chat with friends just hours before Barrett’s death, although authorities have not said that the trial caused or directly influenced what happened. ([apnews.com](https://apnews.com/article/9225ac546831157348ddcfd4706e5008?utm_source=openai))
Clancy admitted killing her three children in January 2023 but pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. Her trial ended in a mistrial last week after jurors failed to reach a verdict.
Walsh’s lawyers have rejected any suggestion that she was attempting to imitate Clancy. Attorney Andrea Lyon said Walsh had been experiencing a “psychotic episode” when her son died and described claims that the case was a copycat crime as “baseless and cruel”.
Prosecutors have separately alleged that Walsh had considered poisoning her husband, telling the court that she had a drink and several prescription bottles on a table.
Her family continues to support her. Walsh’s husband and mother missed the detention hearing because they were attending Barrett’s funeral, her lawyers said, describing them as “heartbroken” but unwavering in their support.
The defence had asked for Walsh to be released into her mother’s care for psychiatric treatment, but the judge ordered her to remain in jail. Her next court appearance is scheduled for September 24.
