‘A precious life … was taken.’ Tacoma mother pleads guilty to killing son, 3

TACOMA – A Tacoma woman has been sentenced to beating her 3-year-old son to death about two years ago after months of abusing the boy.

Ivey Marie Lewis, 27, was dressed in a gray jail jumpsuit Thursday afternoon in Pierce County Superior Court as she pleaded guilty to homicide by abuse for the death of her son, Prince Lewis, on Feb. 12, 2023. She initially was charged with with first-degree murder and two counts of second-degree murder.

“You realize you’re here to plead guilty to a felony crime?” Judge Stanley Rumbaugh asked Lewis before she responded with, “Yeah.”

Lewis continued to nod as Rumbaugh informed her of the rights she would lose and the consequences that go with her guilty plea. She was emotional throughout the hearing, taking several tissues to wipe her tears.

Rumbaugh imposed a 40-year sentence. He described the crime as “depraved” and a betrayal of trust. Rumbaugh also recognized Lewis’ history of abuse in her past before he handed down the sentence.

Lewis has three children she is allowed to have supervised visits with through phone and letters. Lewis was pregnant at the time of her arrest in Prince’s death.

Police were dispatched to the 3200 block of South Mason Avenue at about 7:35 p.m. after Lewis’ friend went to her unit and found the toddler, who “appeared cold to the touch,” according to charging documents.

When officers arrived, Lewis said her son was unresponsive in a bedroom. He was found lying on his back with his knees slightly bent.

Officers attempted CPR, but the boy was stiff and had no pulse, documents show. In an interview with detectives, Lewis said she did not call 911 when she found him unresponsive because she didn’t know what to do, prosecutors wrote.

Police noted there were cuts, burns and bruises all over the child’s body.

Prince had reportedly returned from foster care about six months before his death. Probable cause documents show Tacoma police detectives found a Taser on a kitchen table with prongs that appeared to match injuries on the boy’s chest. There was a red substance consistent with dried blood spatter on the walls of a playroom.

A preliminary autopsy showed the child died from blunt-force trauma to his head.

‘Prince is my son, and so you are my family’

Prince’s adoptive parents, Robert and Kelli Higginbotham, made emotional statements about the boy they considered their son.

“And because I’m a Christian, I’ve been holding two realities in tension for almost two and a half years now. A precious life, Prince’s life, was taken,” Robert Higginbotham said, standing next to his wife.

Robert Higginbotham reminisced on the day he met Prince on Jan. 16, 2020, when they received a call that a 7-month-old baby girl needed to be placed in a foster home.

“We excitedly said yes, and, when Kelli returned home, she had Prince, the most precious, clearly malnourished baby boy with beautiful brown skin and the apparent inability to smile,” he said. “Prince changed our lives that day, and we are forever grateful.”

Robert Higginbotham said he and his wife began the process of adoption. In 2022, they were told that Lewis was clean from drugs and the child had to be returned back to her.

“We had been pleading with the state to slow down,” he said.

Higginbotham remembers driving to the parking lot of a restaurant in Fircrest on Sept. 4, 2022 to meet Lewis and drop Prince back into her custody. He said that Lewis did not have a car seat to transport the boy.

“Before I left I looked at Ivey and I pleaded with her,” he said. “I told her, no matter what, if you ever need help, call me and we will be here no questions asked. Prince is my son, and so you are my family.”

After that day, Robert Higginbotham said he never heard from Prince or Ivey again. Prince died about six months later.

“I stand here today with the privilege and honor of being the one Prince knew as mom,” Kelli Higginbotham said.

Kelli Higginbotham said Prince laughed a lot, loved “Paw Patrol” and baseball. She said most of Prince’s life was spent with her and her family.

“He will forever be integrated in the stories of our lives,” she said before sharing a prayer that was read during Prince’s memorial.

Robert Higginbotham said they have chosen to forgive Lewis. Rumbaugh later remarked to the parents that their capacity for forgiveness would help them move forward.

A video of Prince on the last day he was with the Higginbotham family was played in the court. It showed the boy laughing and playing outside. Lewis cried with her head down on the table as the video played.

Lewis made a one-sentence statement in the hearing, “I apologize to Bobby and Kelli because I know they really cared for [Prince] and I’m sorry.”

Outside the courtroom, Robert Higginbotham told The News Tribune that justice was done in Lewis’ case but said she was not the only “guilty party.”

“…we have a really broken and misunderstood system.” he said. “I hope people will pay attention so that other kids don’t go through what Prince went through.”