Ky. Mom Who Claimed Facebook 'Manipulated' Her into Killing Her Young Sons Pleads Guilty

Mar. 15, 2025

Tiffanie Lucas (left); and Jayden Howard with Maurice Baker Jr.Photo:Bullitt County Detention Center;Facebook

Bullitt County Detention Center;Facebook

Maurice Baker Jr., 6, and Jayden Howard, 9,were shot in their Shepherdsville, Ky., home in November 2023, theBullitt County Sheriff’s Officesaid at the time. They died after being taken to the hospital.

On Wednesday, Oct. 23, nearly a year after the killings, Lucas pleaded guilty to two counts of murder during a court appearance, perWDRB,WHAS 11andWLKY.

Jayden Howard and Maurice Baker Jr.Facebook

Facebook

Detective Richard Beahl, who responded to the scene, saw Lucas collapse on her neighbor’s driveway when he arrived, he said during a court appearance soon after Lucas’ arrest, perWHAS 11and WDRB.

A neighbor tending to the children inside reportedly told police Lucas had shot them.

She allegedly “made statements that she was being manipulated through Facebook, through the internet or through Wi-Fi…into doing what she did,” Beahl said in court.

She also allegedly claimed it was “an accident,” Beahl said.

Tiffanie Lucas.Bullitt County Detention Center

Bullitt County Detention Center

Lucas' guilty plea comes just amonth after a motion was filedin Bullitt Circuit Court that stated her lawyer was considering an insanity plea.

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It’s unclear what led the defense to change course, but family members of the children say they want to see the maximum sentence possible for her.

“She should have to stay in prison,” Maurice’s aunt Bobbie Baker told reporters outside the courthouse on Wednesday, per WDRB. “Give them some form of justice. They didn’t deserve this. They’re kids.”

Lucas has entered an open plea, which means the judge will decide her sentence, WLKY, WDRB and WHAS 11 reported.

The charges she pleaded guilty to warrant 20-50 years each, or a life sentence, Judge Rodney Burress said, according to WDRB.

Lucas is scheduled to be sentenced next month, per WLKY, WDRB and WHAS 11.

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.

source: people.com