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A tragic incident in Michigan has led to a nanny being accused of fatally stabbing the grandfather of a young girl she was looking after, and subsequently harming both the child and her uncle.
Samantha Rae Booth, aged 35, faces charges including first-degree murder, child abuse, assault, and three counts of resisting arrest.
The Royal Oak Police Department reports that the child’s mother reached out to David Ong, 83, on Friday night, requesting him to check on her daughter’s well-being. She was away and had left her 3-year-old under the supervision of Booth, the nanny.
Authorities have not disclosed the reasons behind the mother’s initial concern that led her to ask Ong to check on his granddaughter.
When Ong failed to update the mother promptly, she enlisted her brother-in-law to verify the safety of both her father and daughter. Arriving at the residence just before 9:30 p.m.—approximately 90 minutes after Ong received the call—he entered the home to investigate.
“He heard noises coming from the basement and called out to the nanny but failed to get a response,” police said. “He encountered the nanny in a manic state covered in blood and his father-in-law lying on the floor with severe injuries.”
The brother-in-law picked up his niece and fled the home, all the while fending off “continued attacks from the nanny until he was able to escape.” Booth pursued him outside, armed with a screwdriver, until he encountered a group of people who led him and his niece inside their home while he called 911.
Once he was safe inside with the little girl, Booth ended her pursuit, “stripped off all her clothing and dropped the screwdriver.” She fled police when they arrived but was quickly brought into custody.
Both the little girl and the uncle suffered minor injuries and were treated at a hospital and released.
The Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office said the family had known Booth, who had no known criminal history, for about two years and that she had cared for the toddler in the past without incident, WDIV reported.
Police found psychedelic mushrooms and marijuana in the nanny’s purse and said she made incriminating statements while being transported to the police station, the outlet said.
“Booth stated, ‘I f*** him the f*** up — and yes, I did it … God, it was too easy,’” police said.
Booth was denied bond when she was arraigned on Tuesday. The video arraignment was delayed for an hour when Booth refused to put on clothes or get up off the floor of her cell to appear, WWJ reported.
She is due in court again on November 7.