Bible Passage on Human Sacrifice Potentially Linked With Woman's Alleged Murder of Toddler
Authorities are investigating whether a Florida woman accused of murdering her ex-partner's 2-year-old daughter was prompted to do so from her interpretation of an Old Testament passage, reported CBS 12.
(Photo: WPEC 12)Florida woman Kymberley Lucas is accused of murdering her ex-partner's daughter and attempting to murder the girl's sister on May 25, 2014.
On Sunday, Kymberley Dawn Lucas and her ex-partner's two children, Elliana Lucas-Jamason and Ethan Jameson, attended a service at Metropolitan Community Church in Jupiter, Florida, where pastor Lea Brown taught on Genesis 22. The biblical narrative tells a story where God commands Abraham to sacrifice his son, Isaac, before God accepts a goat instead of the boy at the last minute.
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One line of a note found by authorities on Lucas' computer read "Lea's sermon really, really touched me yesterday, but God never told me to stop!"
In addition to her charges of attempting to kill Elliana, Lucas is also accused of trying to kill her ex-partner's 10-year-old son. According to The Palm Beach Post, the woman "reportedly gave unidentified pills to both the boy and Elliana Lucas-Jamason, according to a probable cause affidavit. Lucas reportedly told the boy that the pill would make him grow faster and gave it to him in a cup of coffee."
Unlike her brother, who fell asleep after drinking the concoction, Elliana did not drink the water because she did not like the taste. What reportedly happened next is unclear, but Ethan eventually fell asleep before waking up and finding Lucas next to them. When he did not see his sister, he forced open the locked bathroom door with a knife.
A Sun-Sentinal report said that Ethan called 911 and attempted to perform CPR on his sister after finding her in the bathtub.
"I think he's the bravest person I've ever met," Jupiter Police Chief Frank Kitzerow said of the boy on Tuesday.
Brown told WPEC that she did not regret giving the sermon as "it's what I was called to do," and that "there's no way anyone could have predicted this."
Lucas' attorney said that she had suffered a severe head injury last fall and that there was "no doubt" that this had affected her behavior.
"This is totally illogical," he said. "It makes no sense, so there must be a lot more to this story."
Lucas will be charged with first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder.
