Kentucky Mom Allegedly Shoots Sons, Blames Facebook Manipulation for Tragic Act
(Image: Celine Tiffanie Ann/Facebook)
A Kentucky mother, Tiffanie Lucas, pleaded guilty on Monday to two counts of murder for the fatal shootings of her two young sons, according to local reports. The tragic incident took place on November 8, 2023, at the family’s home in Shepherdsville, Kentucky, where Lucas is accused of shooting her sons, Maurice “Peanut” Baker Jr., 6, and Jayden Howard, 9, in the head.
Initially, Lucas, 33, planned to plead not guilty by reason of insanity, but her attorneys informed prosecutors of her decision to plead guilty to all charges. Bullitt County Commonwealth Attorney Bailey Taylor confirmed that no plea deal had been reached, leaving the final decision on her sentence in the hands of Judge Rodney Burress.
In Kentucky, murder is classified as a capital offense, carrying potential penalties that include the death penalty, life imprisonment without parole, life with the possibility of parole after 25 years, or a prison term of 20 to 50 years.
Lucas has claimed that the shootings were accidental and that she was manipulated into committing the crime. According to Law&Crime, she stated that she was influenced “through Facebook, through the internet or through Wi-Fi” to carry out the killings. On the day of the incident, neighbors reportedly saw Lucas lying in her driveway, prompting them to call 911. When authorities arrived, they discovered the horrific scene. Lucas allegedly told officers, “My kids are dying.”
Lucas was arrested at the scene, and a detective later testified that she had expressed regret, saying, “I’m in such a bad spot” and insisting that she “would never do anything like this unless someone manipulated me.” The case has raised concerns about Lucas’ mental health, as her defense had initially planned to argue that she was not legally sane at the time of the shootings.
Her trial had been scheduled for December before she chose to plead guilty. Both Maurice and Jayden had different fathers, and it was revealed that Jayden’s father had passed away in 2019. A family friend, JoDee Estes, expressed frustration, believing that the system had failed the boys. Estes told WDRB that there were concerns about Lucas’ ability to parent, especially following her conviction for drug possession.
“There comes a time when you have to listen to when people try to tell the authorities,” Estes said, adding that the family will carry guilt for not preventing the tragedy, though they should not have to. Durrell Howard, the victim’s older brother, expressed deep remorse over his inability to protect his younger siblings.
“If it came to me snatching the boys out of the house, I should have, and I will hold that on my back for the rest of my life. For both the boys,” Howard told WLKY. The case has left a lasting impact on the family and community as they grapple with the loss of two young lives and the unsettling circumstances surrounding the tragedy.
