Afternoon catchup: 5 Butler County stories you need to know today

Here’s a look at five big Butler County stories today to catch up on the news:


Bond set at $1 million for Middletown mother accused of killing son in Preble County park

Bond was set this afternoon in Middletown Municipal Court at $1 million for Brittany Gosney, who is charged with murder, abuse of corpse and tampering with evidence in the death of her 6-year-old son. NICK GRAHAM / STAFF

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Bond was set this afternoon in Middletown Municipal Court at $1 million for Brittany Gosney, who is charged with murder, abuse of corpse and tampering with evidence in the death of her 6-year-old son.

Gosney’s boyfriend, James Hamilton, 42, who is charged with tampering with evidence and abuse of a corpse, was also arraigned, and bond set at $105,000 by Judge James Sherron.

Gosney drove to a Preble County wildlife area to abandon her son James Robert Hutchinson and then ran over him when he tried to get back in the car, according to court records.

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Hamilton woman indicted for disposing of fetus in Warren County motel trash can

For the second consecutive night motorists in parts of Butler County may be stopped at an OVI checkpoint. Friday evening saw some cars stopped in West Chester Township and Saturday evening into Sunday morning an OVI checkpoint will be conducted along a main road in the city of Fairfield.
(File Photo\Journal-News)

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A Hamilton woman has been indicted on a charge related to a fetus being found in a Monroe motel trash can in October.

Rebecca Houck, 30, was indicted on Monday by a Warren County grand jury on a charge of gross abuse of a corpse, a fifth-degree felony. The charge stems from an Oct. 9, 2020 incident in which the baby was found dead at Motel 75 on Garver Road.

The fetus was 23 to 27 weeks, according to the Warren County Coroner’s Office report, not as far along as first believed. But the evidence could not prove the baby girl was born alive.

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Union president: AK Steel to change its name

Pictured is the AK Steel Research and Innovation Center in Middletown. The Fortune 500 company is headquartered in West Chester Twp. NICK GRAHAM/STAFF

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AK Steel will change its name, possibly to match owner Cleveland-Cliffs, according to Neil Douglas, president of IAM Local 1943.

He said Cleveland-Cliffs, which purchased AK Steel for $1.1 billion in 2020, sent out an internal email Friday announcing the name change.

Also last year, Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. bought the U.S. assets of ArcelorMittal for $1.4 billion. The deal made Cleveland-Cliffs the largest flat-rolled steel producer in North America, officials said.

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Victim ID’d in fatal bar fight at Middletown’s Billy T’s last week, police expected to file murder charge

Brian Ingram, 51, charged with felonious assault following bar fight. MIDDLETOWN POLICE

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Middletown police are expected to file a murder charge against a Middletown man after the man he allegedly kicked and punched in a bar last week died.

Phillip Taulbee, 56, died Friday night at Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton after being transferred from Atrium Medical Center, according to the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office. An autopsy was performed Saturday, but the cause and manner of death have been released.

Butler County Prosecutor Michael Gmoser said he read the coroner’s report and an additional charge is expected to be forthcoming by the Middletown Division of Police or a Butler County grand jury.

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Meet Macie and Marie: Hamilton’s teen Cunningham Sisters continuing legacy of inspiring performances

The Cunningham sisters, Macie, 15, left, and Marie, 13, have been singing on social media trying to spread a positive message and recently sent an audition video to the television show The Voice. NICK GRAHAM / STAFF

Credit: Nick Graham

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Credit: Nick Graham

Macie and Marie Cunningham of Hamilton are The Cunningham Sisters, and you may be seeing much more of them soon.

They made it through audition rounds for the NBC show The Voice and are waiting to learn if they will appear on the show. But even if they don’t make the airwaves immediately, they’re happy to continue a several-generation family tradition of gospel singing locally.

They submitted a video performance to the show, and made it through the audition round. They may hear in a few weeks.

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AND, for an extra sixth story of the day ...

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

Brittany Gosney and James Hamilton were charged on Sunday, Feb. 28, 2021 in connection to the death of 6-year-old James Robert Hutchinson of Middletown. James Hamilton admitted to police he kept the boy’s body in this Crawford Street house and then took part in disposing of it in the Ohio River. NICK GRAHAM / STAFF

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

Brittany Gosney and James Hamilton were charged on Sunday, Feb. 28, 2021 in connection to the death of 6-year-old James Robert Hutchinson of Middletown.

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