Oregon mother charged with killing her son because she thought he was gay

In Portland, Oregon Jessica Dutro is charged with murder, murder by abuse and second-degree assault after allegedly beating her 4-year-old son to death believing he was gay, which was the motive behind the murder to the prosecution.

Zachary Dutro-Boggess died in August 16, 2012, after collapsing at the homeless shelter his family was living in. Prosecutors say he died of blunt-force trauma to his abdomen and delayed medical treatment.

According to The Oregonian, Judge Don Letourneau ruled that Facebook messages from Dutro to her boyfriend were evidence enough. The messages provided Dutro's motive for torturing and abusing Zachary. Authorities say that Dutro also assaulted Zachary's siblings, but he was the one to receive most of the violence.

In the messages Dutro told her boyfriend, Brian Canady, that Zachary was "facing the wall" because he had upset her. Using a slur, she wrote that her son was going to be gay. "He walks and talks like it. Ugh," she also wrote. Telling Canady that he would have to "work on" Zachary.

Earlier this month, Canady pleaded guilty to manslaughter and second-degree assault for his role in the murder.

It is a sad day when such a young child is caught in the cross fire of hatred and fear.