Samantha Rae Booth, Royal Oak nanny in Michigan fatally stabs toddler girl’s grandfather, David Ong after 2 year old girl’s mom, Katie Ong asked her father to check in on nanny who wasn’t answering calls only for tragedy to strike.
A ‘trusted’ babysitter has been charged with the stabbing death of an 83 year old grandfather of the two year old girl she had been entrusted to take care following a violent attack over the weekend according to Michigan authorities.
Samantha Rae Booth, 35, of Chesterfield was arrested over the weekend after fatally stabbing 83-year-old man, David Ong, while trying to protect his toddler granddaughter from the screwdriver-wielding nanny at the family’s Royal Oak, Oakland County, Michigan home.
Royal Oak mom out of town sends dad to check in on nanny not answering while taking care of toddler daughter
Leading into the fatal stabbing, the victim’s daughter, Katie Ong had asked her father to go to her home to check on her toddler daughter. At the time, the child’s mother was out of town and was unable to reach Booth.
The toddler was being cared for by Booth, who had looked after the little girl for two years.
After failing to make contact with her father, the infant girl’s mother then asked her brother-in-law, to go to the babysitter’s home to see what was happening.
Upon arriving at the home, the un-named brother in law found the front door of the house wide open, with noises coming from the basement, the Oakland Press reported.
Katie’s brother-in-law called out to Ong, only for the elderly grandfather not to answer.
The brother-in-law making his way to the basement then encountered Booth ‘in a manic state and covered with blood,’ with David Ong lying on the floor deceased.
It was while grabbing the toddler girl, the nanny then proceeded to attack the child’s uncle with a screwdriver, it is alleged.
The brother in law was able to flee with the toddler girl in tow and calling 911 soon after.
Responding officers found Booth naked and covered in blood and attempting to flee the scene before her capture.
Nanny’s psychedelic drug break-down?
A search of Booth’s belongings led to the discovery of psychedelic mushrooms and marijuana in Booth’s purse, KTVU reported. It remained unclear if the nanny was under the influence of the hallucinogenic at the time of the attack.
The use of psychedelic mushrooms has the capacity to make a user frightened, paranoid, aggressive or withdrawn.
Of note, Booth had no prior criminal history, with authorities yet to say what led to the fatal attack.
‘We should all be grateful for the brave actions by her uncle to rescue the two-year-old from this horrific and dangerous situation,’ said Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald. ‘David Ong’s murder is a shocking tragedy and the person responsible will be held accountable.’
Booth now faces six felonies including, first degree murder, second degree child abuse, assault with a dangerous weapon and three counts of assaulting a police officer according to WXYZ.
Booth was due to appear in court via Zoom on Tuesday, but the hearing was held in her absence after she stripped naked in her holding cell and refused to cooperate.
Her attorney pleaded not guilty on her behalf during the hearing, with the judge denying her bond, saying the nanny posed a ‘danger to society’.
David Ong is survived by his wife Jacqueline, their four children and eleven grandchildren.
