Samantha Baker was found dead on July 5 when police in Daphne, Alabama, responded to a 911 call by her 17-year-old son. During the call that originated from the family phone, the dispatcher noted that the “caller advised that he stabbed both of his parents.” Read on for more details.
The Scene Police Found
The call that arrived in the evening saw responders arrive to find mom, Samantha Baker, dead at the scene with stab wounds evident. They also discovered her husband, Lance Baker, 46, bleeding heavily at a neighbor’s house.
Lance Baker serves as a U.S. Army Reserve Battalion Commander. He had been chased from his home while trying to find safety.
A neighbor, Sean Scurry, later reviewed her doorbell camera footage. They told WKRG television that hearing the audio “was probably the hardest part.”
Examining The Allegations
Law&Crime’s On The Case with Chris Stewart covered the case on Thursday night on YouTube. Summarizing reports and examining available sources, Chris explained the crime scene in detail.
Plus, he examined various social media posts that Samantha shared before the fatal attack.
Summarizing What Happened
Chris walked viewers through the events and shared some video footage that revealed Lance calling out for help. He said, “Please help me” and “I don’t want to die.”
When EMTs arrived on the scene, Lance was rushed to a hospital and it seems that doctors believe he will survive the attack.
Meanwhile, the teen was arrested. Initially, authorities did not identify him because he was a juvenile. However, after prosecutors charged him as an adult, several outlets, including the Daily Mail, identified him as Brandon Baker.
Teenager Faces Charges
Prosecutors are charging him with murder and attempted murder, and for now, a judge set his bond at $1 million. On the surface of things, it appears as if the alleged violence came out of the blue. The family seemed normal.
Samantha Baker worked as a local realtor and was an Army National Guard veteran, and neighbors and coworkers viewed them as a loving family. Active on social media, Samantha Baker often posted pictures of family dinners, sporting events, and her dog.
Looking at The Posts
However, Stewart suggested the social media posts offered additional insight into family life. In the opinion of Stewart, Samantha seemed to have a wry and dry sense of humor.
He highlighted a post from March last year, where she talked about raising kids with a quote that said, “Raising a teenage boy, zero out of 10. Do not recommend.”
Then on National Son’s Day, she posted an update about Brandon, saying, in part, “While being their mom is a blessing, it isn’t all sunshine and rainbows…sweet guy…his mouth and attitude, I don’t know where he got that from…a calm presence until he isn’t.”
The Final Birthday Post
Stewart also revealed a post by Samantha Baker that arrived on the day Brandon Baker turned 17. In that one, she wrote, “17 years has flown by.You are an amazing person.And yet at the same time, you make my blood boil.” She ended it with a smiling emoji.
It’s not uncommon for parents to vent online, but whether Brandon interpreted those posts differently is unknown.
Facebook Post Dispute
Police alleged that the fight started over “teen discipline.” However, a deeper dispute may have occurred earlier that afternoon.
Neighbor Sean Scurry spoke exclusively to the New York Post about audio captured by her security system around 2:30 p.m. According to Scurry, Samantha Baker and her son were arguing over a Facebook post.
Scurry told the outlet that “he was asking about a comment and she was saying it was just a story.” Samantha Baker reportedly told her son “it wasn’t about him.”
The argument ended a few minutes later. That was several hours before the alleged stabbings.
Attorney Weighs In
Chris Stewart brought in criminal defense attorney Will Korman to analyze the legal side of the case. Stewart asked how a defense lawyer approaches a case where a minor faces adult murder charges after calling 911 to confess.
Korman discussed the 911 call that seemed to contain a confession. In his opinion, that could be a big issue for the defense to challenge and likely, becomes central to the prosecution case.
The Defense Has Some Options
However, Korman also said the defense will immediately look at the boy’s mental state. They will check for any history of psychological issues, severe trauma, or sudden mental breaks.
The attorney talked about moving from juvenile court to adult court. In Alabama, some violent crimes mean older teens can get charged as adults straight off the bat.
Next, Korman argued that most defense teams will try hard to push the case back to juvenile court, where the whole point is rehab, not just locking someone up.
But with a $1 million bond and adult charges already on the table? Korman hinted that this kid’s legal road is going to be brutally tough.
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