Bullitt County mother charged with murder of 2 sons says ‘it was an accident’

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - A Bullitt County detective testified in court Tuesday morning, sharing new details in the case of a mother charged with the murder of her two sons.

Tiffanie Lucas, 32, of Shepherdsville, is being held in the Bullitt County Detention Center on a $2 million cash bond. Lucas is accused of shooting and killing her two sons, Jayden Howard, 9, and Maurice Baker Jr., 6.

During his testimony, the detective recalled details from the day of the shooting. He said two calls came in around the same time, reporting a shooting at a home in the 200 block of Bentwood Drive. One of the phone calls was made by neighbors living next door.

When police arrived, the woman who lived next door was trying to help Lucas, who was lying in their driveway.

Officers went inside Lucas’s home and found the man who lived next door inside the bedroom trying to provide medical care to the boys, who were both shot in the head.

When officers asked the man if their mother was responsible for the shooting, the man pointed to the gun on the bed and said yes. The boys were rushed to the hospital, where they later died.

The neighbor told police when he pulled into the driveway, he saw Lucas walking down the stairs of his porch before collapsing in the driveway.

When he approached her, Lucas told him that her “kids were dying.” That’s when he went inside and found the boys. He stayed with them until EMS arrived.

Ring video surveillance from a nearby home showed Lucas coming out of her home and going over to her neighbors. The detective said no other people were seen going in the house prior or coming out aside from Lucas.

In the video, four gunshots are heard. It was soon after the last gunshot that Lucas walked out of her home and yelled for help.

Lucas was taken to the Bullitt County Sheriff’s Office and interviewed. During the interview, Lucas was asked if she meant to hurt her children.

She responded, saying, “It was an accident.”

When asked about the firearm, Lucas admitted to leaving it in the bedroom, and that someone had given it to her. She told detectives no one else had been to the house that day.

The detective said Lucas also made comments during the interview like “I’m in such a bad spot,” and “I’m so stupid.”

During the three-hour interview, she also told the detective, “I would never do something like this unless someone manipulated me.”

Her bond will remain set at $2 million.

Michelle Rice is Maurice’s stepmother. Rice was at the preliminary hearing on Tuesday because she said she wanted to support the boys.

“They didn’t deserve this, they were so happy.” she said in tears. “We tried to help those boys. We’ve reached out to CPS and they never helped us, they never helped those boys. And we loved them so much.”

Rice doesn’t believe it was an accident.

“So many other people really loved them and could’ve been there to help them,” she said, “but [Lucas] wouldn’t allow that, she was too selfish. And now they’re gone.”

Rice said it was Maurice’s first year in kindergarten. He loved animals, playing soccer, and video games.

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