A nanny in Michigan allegedly killed the grandfather of the toddler she was watching with a screwdriver.
Police in Royal Oak, Michigan, said in a Facebook post that David Ong was asked to check on his granddaughter while her nanny, Samantha Booth, was watching her on October 24 after his daughter was unable to reach the caretaker.
Ong, 83, went to his daughter’s home, and his daughter grew concerned when she didn’t hear back from him. She then called her brother-in-law and asked him to check on both Ong and the child, as she was out of town, according to police.
When the brother-in-law entered the home, he heard noises coming from the basement, and allegedly found Booth, 35, in a “manic state covered in blood.” Meanwhile, police said Ong appeared to have been attacked with a screwdriver and was suffering from serious injuries.
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The brother-in-law picked up the child and attempted to flee the basement before he called 911. However, police said he had to fend off alleged attacks from Booth when she reportedly went after him with a screwdriver.
The man and the child managed to escape and found shelter in another home, where he called 911 to report the attack. Both the child and uncle suffered minor injuries in the ordeal, per police.
Before police arrived at the home, Booth stripped off all of her clothing and dropped the screwdriver. She was then arrested for her involvement in Ong’s death and was taken into custody.
Booth has been charged with first-degree murder, one count of second-degree child abuse, one count of felonious assault and three counts of resisting a police officer, per police. Authorities also noted that Booth had no criminal history prior to the arrest.
It’s not currently clear if Booth has entered a plea. She was initially scheduled to appear virtually in court on Tuesday, October 28, according to Fox 2 and Click On Detroit. She was reportedly uncooperative and hid in her holding cell without wearing any clothes.
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The Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office reportedly noted that Booth had been acting normally earlier in the day of her scheduled hearing. Both Fox 2 and Click On Detroit reported that prosecutors said police found psychedelic mushrooms in her purse. However, it is not clear if she was under the influence when she stabbed Ong.
Additionally, Fox 2 and Click On Detroit reported that Booth had known the family for two years prior to the incident. The outlets also noted she took care of the child in the past with no issues.
