According to police, a 32-year-old mother of four, later identified as Samantha, was arrested and is currently is facing one count of first-degree reckless homicide and neglect of a child resulting in death in connection with the death of her fiance’s 3-year-old son, whom she fatally beat before claiming the injuries over his body were due to a fall down the house stairs. The incident took place on the morning of June 15, 2023, and emergency services were called to a home at approximately 11:42 a.m. Responding crews arrived to find the boy’s father desperately attempting CPR on his son, who exhibited signs of severe distress and cold, blue-tinged skin. Samantha told first responders that the child’s condition was due to a fall down the stairs the previous night.
The boy was transported to a hospital for treatment, where he was pronounced dead. Despite Samantha’s claims that the boy was alive between 10:30 and 10:45 that morning, the situation at the hospital painted a grimmer picture. The attending detective at the hospital noted an unusually strong odor of decomposition, suggesting that the boy had been deceased for more than the brief period Samantha described. Further examination revealed brutal signs of abuse. The 3-year-old boy had bruising on his head, back, chest, arms, swollen forehead, and his abdomen appeared distended. According to authorities, those injuries were inconsistent with a simple fall.
As the investigation deepened, Samantha’s story began to unravel. She initially claimed the boy had tumbled down the staircase in the early hours, yet his injuries — including broken ribs and a punctured lung — suggested a far more violent encounter. Autopsy results confirmed these suspicions, indicating the boy had suffered from “non-accidental trauma.” When talking to authorities, Samantha stated that the victim and his sibling were playing the previous evening and she heard the 3-year-old falling down the stairs while she was changing other child.
Complicating the case further, forensic analysis of Samantha’s phone revealed a series of alarming texts sent in the hours leading up to the emergency call. “I can’t breathe hardly and it’s even harder with the f—– kids n nobody is going to take of of this serious until they walk into this house n find me passed tf out on the floor. These mother f—– kids won’t f—– stop I’m ready to lose my s—,” Samantha wrote. She sent another message later that night, “I’m ready to hurt these mother f—– kids nobody f—– understands I can’t breathe so this is so much harder n now I’m having more problems breathing.” The last message was sent in the early morning hours “I hate my life sooooo much… What else can go wrong tonight… Kids weren’t listening well (you know) who wasn’t listening so I put (the victim and his sibling) upstairs as I’m changing (the victim’s sibling) here comes (the victim) down the f—– stairs so his one side of his face probably will b bruised when he wakes up. Side of his head was the start of one n under his eye that’s what I noticed. He wasn’t bruised on his belly or back but I will b checking in the morning. I did keep him up later then the rest bc of that n I been keeping an eye on him.”
Samantha is currently being held without bond and is scheduled to appear in court on April 15.
