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What started as a quiet night in a suburban Michigan home ended with the brutal murder of an 83-year-old man who had come to babysit his three-year-old granddaughter.
Police say the child was in the care of 35-year-old Samantha Booth last week when the shocking attack happened in the Royal Oak neighborhood.
Booth was no stranger. The family knew him for two years. According to the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office, he had seen the little girl several times before – always without incident.
But now Booth, the woman the family trusted, is accused of carrying out a horrific murder and attacking the child she was supposed to care for, as well as her uncle who came to investigate.
‘An extremely terrible crime’
On October 24, at about 7:50 pm, the child’s mother, who was out of town, called her father, David Ong, and asked him to stop by her house as she could not reach Booth to check on her daughter. Police said.
Ong, a devoted grandfather, agreed to check-in. He reached home that evening and went inside. But when he failed to update his daughter he started worrying.
When she could not reach her father or Booth, she called her brother-in-law for help.
After some time the child’s uncle reached home and heard voices from the basement. She called Booth, but he did not answer.
Moments later, she reportedly came to him in what police described as a “frantic state” and covered in blood. Ong lay seriously injured and inanimate on the floor nearby.
“He repeatedly attacked the victim with a screwdriver,” said Royal Oak Police Chief Michael Moore. “An absolutely terrible crime.”
a desperate escape
The uncle caught hold of the child and tried to run away. But Booth attacked her and attempted to stab her with a screwdriver, police said, adding that she “defended several of the attacks.”
The uncle eventually managed to escape and found a hiding place at a neighbor’s house, where he called 911, police said.
“She actually followed him down the street because he was screaming for help and some neighbors heard it and took her and the baby inside,” Chief Moore said.
Meanwhile, Booth stopped running, dropped the screwdriver, took off all her clothes, and ran down the street naked, screaming and covered in blood, police said.
When officers arrived a few minutes later, they took a chaotic path back to the house.
Inside the basement, they found Ong bleeding heavily from multiple knife wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police encountered Booth, who fled a short distance, and was captured after a brief chase.
The girl 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 courageous actions of her uncle to save the two-year-old girl from this horrific and dangerous situation,” McDonald said. “The murder of David Ong is a shocking tragedy and the person responsible will be held accountable.”
a shocking confession
Investigators said Booth had spent the day behaving “normal” before allegedly going into a “manic” state. When police searched her belongings, they found suspected psychedelic mushrooms and marijuana in her purse.
“We’re asking ourselves why?” Chief Moore said. “We’re not sure why this happened, but there’s probably a component with some drug use.”
According to their report, during his arrest, Booth allegedly made shocking statements and told police: “I did it.” Later, while being driven to the station, he reportedly said, “I fucked her – and yes, I did it… God, it was so easy.”
Booth was arraigned on October 28 but declined to appear on camera during the Zoom hearing. Instead, according to corrections officials, she took off her clothes, lay down in her holding cell and refused to cooperate.
After discussion between the judge, the defense, and the prosecution, Booth agreed to have his charges heard through his attorney, who entered a plea of not guilty on his behalf. The judge denied bond, calling Booth a “present danger to society” and a potential flight risk.
His next court appearance is scheduled for November 7, 2025.
unanswered questions
Investigators are still working to determine what may have caused Booth’s sudden, violent explosion. Police have not officially said whether drugs played a role, although the discovery of suspected hallucinogens in her purse raises questions about her mental state.
In a statement after the arraignment, Chief Moore expressed condolences to Ong’s family.
“We extend our deepest condolences to the victim’s family as they grapple with this tragic and senseless act of violence,” he said. “No family should have to suffer such a loss, and we’re keeping that in our minds.”
For the Ong family, the loss is almost impossible to comprehend. The man they called “Dad” and “Grandpa” was described in obituary As “deeply caring, a true friend and a steady source of encouragement and support” whose “favorite hobby was her family.”
Ong’s daughter Kelly shared a statement on Facebook on Sunday, calling him her hero.
She wrote, “My father David Ong tragically died on Friday evening while protecting his beloved 3-year-old granddaughter. The loss is immeasurable. Anyone who knows my father knows he is a gentle man – a man of incredible kindness, love and trust. I have often said that he is the best man I know.”
“He was the hero on Friday, but to me he’s always been my hero.”