A tragic incident unfolded when a mental health professional lost her life in a stabbing attack allegedly carried out by a former client. The attacker subsequently fled the scene and was later found deceased from an apparent suicide.

The incident occurred on the night of January 19 at around 9 p.m. in Orlando. Rebecca White, a 44-year-old licensed therapist, had just concluded a session in her office when a former client unexpectedly entered the room. This information was disclosed in a statement by the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, shared with Oxygen.

During the attack, White was in the presence of another client, a man in his 30s, who witnessed the event. He recounted to authorities that the intruder, later identified as Micheal Smith, insisted on speaking with White.

Despite White’s demand for Smith to leave and her client’s attempt to call 911, Smith produced a knife and attacked both individuals. White was rushed to the hospital, where she succumbed to her injuries. Her client, who underwent surgery, is expected to recover, as confirmed by the police statement.

The day after the attack, law enforcement discovered Smith, aged 40, dead from an apparent suicide at an undisclosed location, according to the authorities’ report.

According to Florida records obtained by Oxygen, Smith was a registered sex offender who had spent nearly two decades in prison for sexual battery, among other crimes. A former colleague of White told Fox 35 that the late therapist had, in part, counseled offenders.  

Now, White’s family is dealing with the unimaginable, writing in a statement to Fox 35: “We are struggling to understand how this could have happened.”

The statement continued, “Right now, our family is grieving an irreplaceable loss. We are heartbroken, angry, and searching for answers – but above all, we are mourning Rebecca.” 

The surviving client’s mom is also grappling with what their future now looks like.

“My son will now have a scar on his mouth and other areas of his body, along with possible nerve damage from being stabbed in his hand,” she wrote on a verified GoFundMe page.

The mother and the brother of the surviving victim did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Oxygen. A spokesperson from White’s practice, Down to Earth Therapy Solutions, did not immediately return a request for comment from Oxygen.