A trusted babysitter went on a naked bloody rampage leaving a grandfather dead and a toddler wounded, say cops. No one knows why

https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/10/29/14/35/Samantha-Booth-split.jpeg?width=1200&auto=webp&crop=3%3A2

What began as a quiet night at a suburban Michigan home ended with the brutal slaying of an 83-year-old man who had simply showed up to check on his three-year-old granddaughter.

Police say the toddler was in the care of 35-year-old Samantha Booth last week when the shocking attack unfolded in the Royal Oak neighborhood.

Booth wasn’t a stranger. The family had known her for two years. She had watched the little girl many times before – always without incident, according to the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office.

But now Booth, a woman the family trusted, is accused of carrying out a gruesome murder and attacking the toddler she was meant to be caring for as well as an uncle who had come to investigate.

‘An absolutely horrific crime’

Around 7:50 p.m. on October 24, the toddler’s mother, who was out of town, called her father, David Ong, and asked him to stop by her house after she could not reach Booth to check on her daughter, police said.

Ong, a devoted grandfather, agreed to check in. He drove over to the home that evening and went inside. But when he failed to update his daughter, she began to worry.

When she couldn’t reach her father or Booth, she called her brother-in-law for help.

A short time later, the child’s uncle arrived at the house and heard noises coming from the basement. He called out to Booth, but she didn’t respond.

Moments later, she allegedly came at him in what police described as “a manic state,” and covered in blood. On the floor nearby was Ong, gravely injured and unresponsive.

“She attacked the victim repeatedly with a screwdriver,” Royal Oak Police Chief Michael Moore said. “An absolutely horrific crime.”

A desperate escape

The uncle grabbed the child and tried to flee. But Booth lunged at him, attempting to stab him with the screwdriver, police said, adding that he “fended off multiple attacks.”

Police said the uncle was finally able to get away and found a place to hide at a neighbor’s house where they called 911.

“She was actually chasing him down the street as he was screaming for help, and some neighbors heard it and ushered him and the child inside,” Chief Moore said.

Meanwhile, Booth had stopped running, dropped the screwdriver, stripped off all her clothing, and ran down the street naked, screaming, and covered in blood, police said.

When officers arrived minutes later, they followed the trail of chaos back to the home.

Inside the basement, they found Ong bleeding heavily from multiple stab wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police confronted Booth, who had fled only a short distance before she was caught after a brief chase.

The child and her uncle were treated at a local hospital for minor injuries and released later that night.

Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald charged Booth with first-degree murder, second-degree child abuse, felony assault, and three counts of resisting and obstructing.

“We should all be grateful for the brave actions by her uncle to rescue the two-year-old from this horrific and dangerous situation,” McDonald said. “David Ong’s murder is a shocking tragedy and the person responsible will be held accountable.”

A chilling confession

Booth had spent the day behaving “normally” before she reportedly went into a “manic” state, investigators said. When police searched her belongings, they found suspected psychedelic mushrooms and marijuana in her purse.

“We’ve been asking ourselves why?” Chief Moore said. “We aren’t sure why this happened, but there probably is a component with some drug usage.”

During her arrest, Booth allegedly made chilling statements, telling police: “I did it,” according to their report. Later, while being transported to the station, she allegedly said, “I f*** him the f*** up — and yes, I did it… God, it was too easy.”

Booth was arraigned on October 28 but refused to appear on camera during the Zoom hearing. Instead, she stripped off her clothes, lay down in her holding cell, and refused to cooperate, according to Corrections officers.

After discussions between the judge, defense, and prosecution, Booth agreed to hear her charges through her attorney, who entered a not guilty plea on her behalf. The judge denied bond, calling Booth a “present danger to society” and a possible flight risk.

Her next court appearance is scheduled for November 7, 2025.

Unanswered questions

Investigators are still working to determine what may have prompted Booth’s sudden, violent outburst. Police have not officially said whether drugs played a role, though the discovery of suspected hallucinogens in her purse raises questions about her mental state.

In a statement following the arraignment, Chief Moore offered condolences to Ong’s family.

“We extend our deepest condolences to the victim’s family as they cope with this tragic and senseless act of violence,” he said. “No family should ever have to endure such loss, and we are keeping them in our thoughts.”

For the Ong family, the loss is almost too much to comprehend. The man they called “Dad” and “Grandpa” was described in his obituary as “deeply caring, a true friend and a steady source of encouragement and support” whose “favorite hobby was his family.”

Ong’s daughter, Kelley, shared a statement on Facebook Sunday, calling him her hero.

“My father, David Ong, died tragically on Friday evening while protecting his cherished 3 year old granddaughter. The loss is immeasurable. Anyone who knows my dad knows that he is a gentle giant – a man of incredible kindness, love and faith. I’ve often said he is simply the best man I know,” she wrote.

“He was a hero on Friday, but to me, he’s always been my hero.”