Nanny Charged with Brutal Slaying of Toddler's Grandfather

On October 24, 2025, a tragic incident unfolded in Royal Oak, Michigan, where a nanny named Samantha Booth, 35, is accused of fatally stabbing the 83-year-old grandfather of the toddler she was babysitting.

According to the police, Booth's employer, the child's mother, was out of town and unable to reach the nanny. The grandfather, David Ong, was asked to check on his granddaughter and the nanny. When Ong arrived at the home, he did not update his daughter, who then asked her brother-in-law to investigate.

The brother-in-law entered the home and heard noises coming from the basement, where he allegedly found Booth in a "manic state covered in blood" and Ong suffering from serious injuries. The brother-in-law attempted to flee the basement with the child, but had to fend off alleged attacks from Booth, who allegedly pursued him with a screwdriver. Ong was killed with the screwdriver.

The brother-in-law and the child were able to take shelter in another home, and he called 911. Police claim Booth eventually stripped off all of her clothing and dropped the screwdriver before they arrived and arrested her. The child and her uncle suffered minor injuries during the ordeal.

Booth, who has no known criminal history, is now charged with first-degree murder, second-degree child abuse, felonious assault, and three counts of resisting a police officer. Prosecutors say Booth had known the family for two years and had cared for the child previously without incident, but she was found with psychedelic mushrooms in her purse, though it is unclear if she was under the influence.