In a wrenching Allegan County courtroom hearing this month, Matthew and Rebecca Seifried looked at the man who drove into their yard and killed their nine-month-old daughter, Lucia Iris Seifried, and told him they forgive him. Instead of asking for the maximum punishment, they urged prosecutors to seek the minimum. The driver took a plea that will still send him to prison for more than a decade, while the Seifrieds have turned their grief toward helping other parents facing the same nightmare.
Family forgives in court
Standing in court, Matthew and Rebecca told the defendant they had chosen mercy over vengeance and asked the judge not to impose the harshest possible sentence. Matthew recalled the evening of the crash by saying, "We're sitting in our front yard and just enjoying the sunset," before the pickup came toward them, in an interview about the case. As reported by FOX San Antonio, the Seifrieds spoke directly to the driver and explicitly said they forgave him.
Plea deal and sentence
The driver, Terry Lee Boss, pleaded no contest to second-degree murder and received a sentence of at least 13 years and six months in prison, with a maximum of 22 years and six months, under a plea agreement. In exchange, prosecutors dropped related counts of operating while intoxicated, causing death and reckless driving, causing death after the family asked for a lesser sentencing recommendation. The plea deal removed the possibility of a life sentence, while the earlier charge in the case was covered by Hoodline.
How the crash unfolded
The crash happened on April 26, 2025, on Baseline Road near Baseline Lake in Trowbridge Township. Investigators say Boss crossed the center line, sideswiped another vehicle, then veered off the road and struck family members who were standing near the water; the infant was hit while playing in the yard. Prosecutors say Boss's post-crash blood-alcohol content was .22 and that alcohol and speed were contributing factors in the wreck. Local reporting also notes the family said the pickup was traveling roughly 50 miles per hour when it entered their yard. As reported by WHTC.
The family's next steps
The Seifrieds have created The Lucia Iris Foundation to assist grieving parents with funeral costs, counseling and short-term aid, while also sharing their message about forgiveness and safer choices that protect children. The foundation's website notes that Lucia was nine months old when she died and outlines programs focused on both practical help and spiritual care. In telling their story, the family has emphasized faith and community support as central to their healing. As outlined by The Lucia Iris Foundation.
Legal note
Under Michigan law, second-degree murder is punishable by imprisonment in the state prison for life, or any term of years, giving judges discretion to set both minimums and maximums in plea agreements. That statutory framework, set out in the Michigan Compiled Laws, is what allowed a term-of-years sentence in this case instead of a mandatory life term. As outlined by Michigan Compiled Laws.
