Disturbing drawing seven-year-old boy made that proved mother drowned his sister as he speaks out 17 years later

Warning: This article contains discussion of child abuse which some readers may find distressing.

A harrowing drawing created by seven-year-old AJ Hutto helped prosecutors convict his mother of killing his half sister.

In summer 2007, Amanda E. Lewis contacted emergency services claiming she'd found her daughter Adrianna Elaine Hutto unresponsive in the family pool at their home in Esto, Florida.

Adrianna would be pronounced dead an hour after arriving at hospital, with doctors initially believing her cause of death was accidental drowning. However, Lewis would come under suspicion after AJ revealed that his mother had 'dunked' Adrianna in the pool as a form of punishment.

AJ's words would prompt authorities to open an investigation into Adrianna's death, which found Lewis guilty of first-degree murder and aggravated child abuse.

AJ, then seven, testified against his mother in court (ITV)

AJ, who was just six when his older sister was killed, would be the key witness at his mother's trial in February 2008. In gut-wrenching footage captured by Court TV, AJ can be seen talking prosecutors through a drawing he'd created of the pool in his back garden.

"Will this drawing help you explain to the jury what happened?" AJ was asked, which he replied: "Yes sir."

AJ would then identify the family pool in the drawing, as well as himself 'playing' be the side of the pool.

In the drawing two stick figures can be seen stood by the pool, which the seven-year-old told the court: "That's my mom... killing my sister."

AJ Hutto's drawing, which was presented in court (Court TV)

He then explained exactly what was going on between Lewis and her daughter in the drawing, adding that his mother was 'putting her hand over her face'.

Lewis was later sentenced to to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the killing of her daughter, as well as an additional 30 years for aggravated child abuse.

Lewis would continue to claim her innocence and submitted an appeal in 2010, but this was rejected. She also appeared on an episode of Piers Morgan's ITV series, Killer Women, in 2016.

Now 24 years old and living under a new identity, AJ has reflected on the case in an interview with MailOnline, revealing that he stands by every word he said on that day.

"One hundred per cent guilty," he said, adding that he hasn't had any contact with Lewis since the trial.

Reflecting further on his childhood, he added: "Just darkness, trauma. A lot of abuse. Physically abused, both Adrianna and I were hit.

"For the most part, I remember the abuse. Sometimes we wouldn't even see it coming. It was literally sometimes we were blindsided."

If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence regarding the welfare of a child, contact the NSPCC on 0808 800 5000, 10am-8pm Monday to Friday. If you are a child seeking advice and support, call Childline for free on 0800 1111, 24/7.