Kentucky Mom Accused of Killing Her Children, Ages 6 and 9, Allegedly Claimed It Was 'Accident': Police
Tiffanie Lucas, 32, allegedly told officers she was "manipulated" by social media to commit the crime
A Kentucky woman accused of fatally shooting her children allegedly said the killings were “an accident” and told officers that she had been “manipulated” by social media into committing the crime, according to reports.
Tiffanie Lucas, 32, allegedly shot 6-year-old Maurice Baker Jr. and 9-year-old Jayden Howard on Nov. 8, WDRB and WKYT and WAVE reported.
According to a Nov. 8 press release by the Bullitt County Sheriff’s Office, the boys died after being taken to the hospital, prompting two murder charges against Lucas.
On Tuesday, Lucas appeared in a Bullitt County court where detective Richard Beahl testified about responding to the scene in Shepherdsville, Ky., according to WHAS 11 and WDRB. Beahl testified that when officers arrived, Lucas walked out of her home and collapsed on the driveway of her neighbor’s home.
Beahl found one of the neighbors trying to help Lucas on the driveway and another neighbor tending to the children inside the house, according to WKYT. The neighbor attending to the children alleged to officers that Lucas was responsible for the deaths, Beahl testified.
After police took Lucas in for questioning, she said the incident "was an accident," Beahl testified, and added that a third party had given her the gun, per WDRB. She also made statements such as: “I would never do anything like this unless someone manipulated me,” Beahl testified.
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Beahl testified that Lucas said she was being "manipulated" by Facebook, the internet and “Wi-Fi”, WDRB reported.
Bullitt County Detention Center
Tiffanie LucasBaker Jr.’s stepmother Michelle Rice told the outlet that the boys were “happy." Rice said she had previously reached out to Child Protective Services, but she alleged her claims weren't taken seriously enough. Bullitt County's Child Protective Services did not immediately return PEOPLE's inquiry.
If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
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