Home » News Stream » Local »

Lewis Arraignment

By Debbie Williams

Published: Wed, August 01, 2007 - 2:34 pm Last Updated: Fri, August 10, 2007 - 9:43 pm

A Prichard mother who police say confessed to killing her four week old baby girl told a judge she's not guilty. Tyese Lewis made her second appearance in court Wednesday morning. Afterwards, her attorney said despite the confession, there's a chance the baby is still alive.

There were prayers outside the courtroom, while inside, Tyese Lewis plead not guilty to killing one month old Zarial Lewis. "Even though she has admitted to doing the damage," says Reverend Williams Glover, "she is still one of God's children and he should have the deciding vote."

The hearing lasted only a few minutes, then Lewis returned to Mobile Metro Jail.

"She is very confused, frightened, emotional, scared 18 year old girl." Art Powell is Lewis' attorney. "Granted I could be wrong but Geretha has told two different stories about her missing child. She has told two different stories about her missing child beyond that I think anybody trying to draw a conclusion from that is pure speculation."

That speculation led authorities to the state's largest landfill in search of the body Lewis allegedly told police she had thrown in a trash can. "The family is hoping for the best that the child will be found alive somewhere and will be returned to the family. Worse case scenario if the child is dead it's critical to any prosecution of anybody in this matter that a body be recovered," says Powell.

Lewis' family had nothing to say as they left the courtroom but those gathered to pray for someone they don't even know said out loud what attorney's may already be thinking. "No way she could have been in her right mind to do something like that," says Rev. Glover.

"She's had a lot of attention paid to this situation an quite frankly she doesn't handle it and not handling it very well," says Powell.

Lewis will be back in court August 23rd.