An Illinois mother has been charged with three counts of first-degree murder after her 2-year-old son was found dead in the family basement, and prosecutors say her actions and statements at the scene point to a deliberate killing that occurred hours after she texted friends about another high-profile child-killing trial.

Corie A. Walsh, 38, of Frankfort, Illinois, faces three first-degree murder charges after her son Barrett was discovered dead in the basement of the family home on the 22700 block of Brook Stone Court. A neighbor found the boy hanging from a device attached to a rafter with a ligature around his neck; the neighbor removed the ligature, lowered him to the floor, and began CPR while calling 911.

Frankfort police arrived at approximately 4:04 p.m. on Tuesday to find the neighbor still performing CPR, and officers were told the child was cold and had no pulse. Barrett Walsh was pronounced dead that day after emergency efforts failed to revive him.

A preliminary autopsy the following day ruled the cause of death as asphyxia from ligature compression of the neck. Prosecutors filed three first-degree murder counts against Walsh, each based on a different legal theory: that she intended to kill him by strangulation, that she knew her actions would cause death, and that she knew there was a strong probability her actions would cause death.

Police did not find Walsh near her son. Instead, they located her upstairs in the master bedroom bathtub, fully clothed and lying in bloody water with cuts to her wrists and thighs, and a neighbor had a towel pressed to her left inner thigh after taking a knife from her and tossing it into a sink.

The knife was recovered by officers and entered into evidence, and Walsh’s injuries were classified as non-life-threatening. She was taken to Silver Cross Hospital, where she remained as of Thursday while treatment continued.

Prosecutors say Walsh allegedly told officers at the scene she killed her son because he was the “devil” and the “anti-Christ.” While hospitalized, she allegedly made additional statements to investigators describing how she carried out the killing, and prosecutors said those statements matched the physical evidence gathered at the home.

A neighbor told investigators Walsh used the nickname “Bear” when referring to the child, a detail that aligns with how family members identified Barrett. Three other children were either in the home or returned shortly after the discovery; an infant was present and unharmed, and two school-aged children arrived around the same time Barrett was found.

Walsh’s husband was out of state when the incident occurred and flew home Tuesday evening, authorities said. No physical injuries were reported for the other children in the household, and investigators have been working to separate the siblings’ care from the criminal probe.

The court proffer included a detail that has drawn attention: witnesses told investigators Walsh had been following the murder trial of Lindsay Clancy and had discussed that case in a group text with friends as recently as approximately 12:30 p.m. Tuesday. That group text occurred roughly three and a half hours before Barrett was discovered, and at the time the jury in the Clancy trial was deliberating.

The timeline is stark: at 12:30 p.m., Walsh was texting about a mother on trial for killing her children; by 4:04 p.m., her own 2-year-old was dead in the basement. Prosecutors have pointed to Walsh’s apparent fixation on the Clancy trial as a notable part of their case theory.

The Clancy case itself drew national attention after reporting that Clancy texted her husband about takeout roughly an hour before strangling their three children, a detail that shocked many. Walsh’s messages about that trial figure heavily in the investigators’ timeline and in the court filing prosecutors presented.

The local reaction has been one of shock and grief in Frankfort, a suburb of about 20,000 people roughly 35 miles southwest of Chicago. Neighbors and community members say incidents like this feel almost unthinkable in a place like theirs, and the case has left residents reeling.

“This is just absolutely devastating, that this could be another Lindsay Clancy situation in our neighborhood, in our community. You never think it’s going to hit so close to home.”

The Frankfort Police Department issued a statement asking for privacy for the family as the investigation continues and as loved ones cope with the loss. The department emphasized thoughts and prayers for everyone affected while requesting the community respect the family’s privacy during this difficult time.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the family, their loved ones, and everyone affected by this heartbreaking tragedy. We ask our community to keep them in their thoughts and prayers and to respect their privacy as they navigate this profoundly difficult time.”

The investigation was handled jointly by the Frankfort Police Department and the Will-Grundy Major Crimes Task Force, a regional unit specializing in serious violent crimes across Will and Grundy counties. Prosecutors sought an arrest warrant while Walsh remained in the hospital and asked the court to deny pretrial release.

Walsh’s cellphone was recovered from the bathroom near where she was found, and forensic analysis of the device is ongoing; investigators have not disclosed whether the phone revealed anything beyond the group text about the other trial. Upon discharge from Silver Cross, Walsh is expected to be transferred to the Will County Adult Detention Facility for a detention hearing.

No public mental health evaluation has been reported as ordered at this stage, although Walsh’s alleged statements that labeled a toddler the “devil” and the “anti-Christ” will likely make her mental state a central focus in the weeks ahead. Several practical questions also remain unanswered, from the exact device used to hang the child to whether court references to “a neighbor” describe one person or multiple witnesses.

Authorities continue to investigate and gather evidence as the case moves through the criminal justice system, leaving many details still under review and several legal steps yet to play out in the coming days.