Royal Oak murder: Nanny charged with stabbing child's 83-year-old grandpa to death

ROYAL OAK, Mich. (FOX 2) - A 35-year-old woman is now facing murder charges after authorities say she stabbed an 83-year-old man to death inside a Royal Oak home over the weekend.

Samantha Rae Booth, 35, of Chesterfield, is charged with first-degree murder, second-degree child abuse, assault with a dangerous weapon, and three counts of resisting/obstructing police. According to the judge, the child abuse charge is because the alleged murder happened in front of a child. 

Booth is also accused of non-fatally assaulting a man with a screwdriver. 

Authorities attempted to arraign Booth via video from inside a cell inside the Royal Oak Police Department, but declined to stand up and be on camera. This led to a delay during her arraignment, which was eventually held without her visible. 

Booth was denied bond.

The backstory:

According to police, Booth, who is a nanny, was watching a toddler at a home in the 4300 block of Sheridan on Friday evening when the child's mother contacted David Ong to check on the girl. The child's mother was out of town at the time and was unable to reach Booth.

Ong, the child's grandfather, went to the home but did not respond to his daughter in a timely manner, the child's mother had the child's uncle go to the house. Police said that as the uncle went through the front door, he heard noises from the basement, and went downstairs to find Ong suffering stab wounds.

According to police, the uncle grabbed the child, who was in the basement, and tried to escape, but Booth allegedly attacked him. Eventually, he made it outside, where Booth allegedly followed him with a screwdriver. Finally, the uncle and child were able to shelter in a nearby home until police arrived. They both suffered minor injuries.

Booth then allegedly dropped the screwdriver and stripped her clothes off before running from police. Officers allegedly found her with blood on her hands. 

"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."

Dig deeper:

According to the Oakland County Prosecutor's Office, the family has known Booth for about two years, and she has watched the child in the past without incident. She has no criminal history. 

The prosecutor's office said Booth seemed to be acting normally earlier in the night. Suspected psychedelic mushrooms and marijuana were found in Booth's purse. It is unknown if she was under the influence during the attack. 

"We extend our deepest condolences to the victim’s family as they cope with this tragic and senseless act of violence. No family should ever have to endure such loss, and we are keeping them in our thoughts," Royal Oak Police Chief Michael Moore said.

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