Family of Kentucky mother Tiffanie Lucas, accused of fatally shooting her sons, 9 and 6, say they have called child protective services multiple times – as their brother despairs that he ‘should have done more’ to save them
- Brother Durrell Howard says he wishes he had done ‘more’ to save Jayden, 9, and Maurice, 6
- The boys were shot to death in their Brentwood home on Tuesday
- Their mother Tiffanie Lucas, 32, has been charged with two counts of murder
The family of a Kentucky mother accused of fatally shooting her two sons says they have called child protective services numerous times in recent years.
Tiffanie Lucas, 32, is accused of killing her boys Jayden, 9, and Maurice, 6, at their Shepherdsville home on Tuesday.
The boys’ brother, Durrell Howard, has since spoken out about his regret for not doing ‘more’ – and revealed that several family members had tried to report Lucas to authorities.
“I should have done more,” he said WLK News. “If it came down to me ripping the boys out of the house, I should have done that and I’ll have that on my back for the rest of my life. For both boys.’
Howard had the same father as Jayden and had recently become more involved in his life and that of Maurice, who was nicknamed ‘Peanut’.
The family of the Kentucky mother Tiffanie Lucas, accused of fatally shooting her two sons, says they have called child protective services several times. Pictured: Durrell Howard, the victim’s brother
Tiffanie Lucas, 32, was charged with two counts of murder in the shooting deaths of her two children
‘We wanted them. We would have welcomed them with open arms. We loved them so much,” Howard added.
He explained that he had seen more brothers since his and Jayden’s father passed away in 2019, and took comfort in the fact that the brothers had each other even in death.
“I just know that Jayden and Peanut are together. And I know our father was probably waiting for them, both of them.”
The Bullitt County Sheriff’s Office received reports of a shooting with injury at the home at 11:07 a.m.
The boys’ bloodied bodies were discovered in a bedroom by a neighbor, along with a gun.
Police arrived and the brothers were rushed to Norton’s Children’s Hospital in Louisville, 30 minutes away, with gunshot wounds.
They underwent surgery, but succumbed to their injuries around 2:50 p.m.
Howard remembered the last time he saw them happy and content.
The boys’ bloodied bodies were discovered in a bedroom by a neighbor, along with a gun
Lucas is now facing two counts of murder and is being held at the Bullitt County Detention Center
‘We were just playing a card game, just a card game. It was that simple and we had the best time. Best time ever,” he said.
He also condemned Lucas, saying: “You scarred everyone with this. You scarred everyone with this.”
Lucas is now facing two counts of murder and is being held at the Bullitt County Detention Center.
She appeared via video link at her arraignment on Thursday, during which a judge set her bond at $2 million.
“It’s sad, I mean, what in the world has happened for a mother to shoot her two children like that,” neighbor Steve Steier told the local new station.
“It’s horrible, I mean as a mother I can’t imagine this being the only way,” said neighbor Amanda Mangis.