A Washington mother is charged with murdering her 3-year-old son, and court documents reveal that the boy had multiple burns, bruises, wounds and appeared to have been shocked, likely with a taser.
At about 7:30 p.m. on February 12, officers responded to a report of an unresponsive child who was “cold to the touch” in an apartment on South Mason Avenue in Tacoma.
When police arrived, officers went inside the unit and found the child. Detectives said they found multiple wounds to the child’s chest, sides, arms and legs “consistent with being struck by an object.” The child also had “multiple areas where the victim’s skin was red and appeared to be burned. There were also injuries with the same loop pattern which were observed on his legs and chest. It was also noted there were several small marks on the victim’s chest, which appeared to coincide with an electronic shock device (taser) located on the kitchen table. “
According to the documents, the child’s mother Ivey Marie Lewis told investigators her son ran into the wall multiple times and hit his head: “She said he did that regularly.” When asked, police said Lewis denied ever using a cord or hanger to strike the victim. Instead, Lewis said she made the child “stand in the corner in ‘time-out’ as punishment, and that she rarely ‘swatted’ him on the butt or hand with her hands. Later in the interview, Lewis admitted to using marijuana and methamphetamine several days prior. She also admitted to previously hitting (victim) P.L. with a belt when she caught him and a female child ‘cuddling’ together.”
The woman’s second child, a one-year-old, is now in protective custody. Police said the baby was taken to a local hospital for an examination. Court documents said the hospital detected meth in the baby’s system. Prosecutors said they will likely file additional charges once they receive the confirmation that the one-year-old had meth in his system.
Police searched the bedroom and found a black electrical cord that had been tied at one end and had multiple loose wires at the other end. “There were also at least two loops in the wire that appeared to coincide with the loop shaped injuries on the victim’s body.” The burns may have come from the apartment’s heater; officers said it was turned up to maximum and when they arrived “the apartment was so hot that one of the officers reported that it was difficult to breathe inside.”
While police were still at the scene, they were contacted by a man who identified himself as the initial 911 caller – he said he had gone to Lewis’ apartment after the Super Bowl to hang out: when he arrived Lewis told him, “I think there’s something wrong with (victim). He noted that the victim was not responsive and appeared cold to the touch,” after which he rushed to call for help. Later in the interview, the man told police that he had previously seen Lewis strike the child with an electrical cord as a punishment for wetting his bed.
Lewis is now charged with one count of first-degree murder and two counts of second-degree murder. She is being held in Pierce County Jail in lieu of $2 million bail. Another child inside the home was placed into protective custody.
During her initial interview, Lewis informed investigators she was already under supervision by Child Protective Services, indicating that the child had been in foster care from when he was 10 months old until about six months ago
Department of Children, Youth and Families for information released this comment about the CPS case involving Lewis:
“Most child welfare records are confidential, and we cannot comment on an active law enforcement investigation.”
According to Pierce County prosecutors, Lewis has an extensive criminal history, including 11 prior arrests and 2 prior felony convictions: unlawful possession of stolen vehicle and unlawful possession firearm.
Tell us your thoughts...