Unfinished Lives

Remembering LGBT Hate Crime Victims

Four-Year-Old Boy Murdered Because His Mom Thought He Was “Gay”

Jessica Dutro (l), and boyfriend Brian Canady "systematically tortured" and killed her 4-year-old she believed was "gay."

Jessica Dutro (l), and boyfriend Brian Canady “systematically tortured” and killed her 4-year-old she believed was “gay.”

Hillsboro, Oregon – An Oregon mother was found guilty by a Washington County Circuit Court for the murder of her four-year-old-son she thought was gay.  Gay Star News reports that it took a jury less than two hours yesterday to convict Jessica Dutro for the August 2012 beating death of her child, Zachary Dutro-Boggess.  Dutro showed no emotion as the verdict was read.  She was found guilty of murder and five counts of murder by abuse and one count of second-degree assault.  The little boy’s intestines were torn in two places by the brutal beating his mother and her boyfriend, Brian Canady, inflicted on him, but the couple allowed the child to suffer for two days before calling 911 to get him some help.  As the toxic contents of his bowels had leaked into his body, Dutro had searched the internet for sex online and anger management classes, according to Oregonlive.com. Zachary was dying as he was transported to a Portland Hospital where he was put on life-support until he died on August 16.

Brian Canady had pled guilty in a pre-arranged plea deal to testify against Dutro.  He admitted to kicking Zachary.  Canady will serve 12-and-a-half years in prison for first-degree manslaughter and second-degree assault.

The evidence against Dutro for the slaying of her young son was damning.  Prosecutors shared Facebook messages with the court that detailed her loathing for gay people in general and her fear that her child was going to grow up to be one.  In one message, she demanded that Canady “work on” Zachary for being gay.  In another, after using a homophobic slur in reference to her child, she wrote, “He walks and talks like it.  Ugh.”  

Undoubtedly, the most damaging evidence against Dutro came from her own seven-year-old daughter.  The little girl, speaking to a counselor, said (in reference her mother and her boyfriend, Canady), “They beat my brother up, and he died. I seen them.”  Prosecutors presented evidence during the trial showing “systematic torture and abuse” used by the couple as “discipline” against Zachary, his sister, and his three-year-old brother. Zachary’s siblings were covered in bruises, and the three-year-old boy was found to have five cracked ribs.

Jessica Dutro’s sentencing has been scheduled for April 18.

April 4, 2014 - Posted by | anti-LGBT hate crime murder, Beatings and battery, Child abuse, GLBTQ, Hate Crimes, Heterosexism and homophobia, LGBTQ, Oregon, Slurs and epithets | , , , , , , , ,

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