Lance Baker ran from his Daphne, Alabama home bleeding from multiple stab wounds Sunday night, desperately knocking on neighbors' doors for help as his 17-year-old son remained inside with a knife after allegedly killing the boy's mother, authorities said.
Neighbors captured the horrifying moments on doorbell cameras as Baker — his hands slick with blood — left bloody handprints across multiple homes while pleading for someone to call 911.
"The hardest part was pulling up my camera and listening to it and listening to the father yelling for help: 'Please help me. I don't want to die,'" neighbor Shawn Scurry told WALA Fox News.
Baldwin County Sheriff's Office deputies responded just before 9 p.m. to a residence on Augustine Drive in Daphne, approximately 11 miles east of Mobile. When they arrived, they found two victims suffering from stab wounds.
Background
Samantha Baker, 37, was pronounced dead at the scene. Her husband, Lance Baker, 46, was airlifted to a hospital where he remained as of Monday morning with serious injuries.
Authorities alleged that the violence erupted during an argument over parental discipline. The teenage suspect allegedly grabbed a kitchen knife, stabbed his mother, and then pursued his father — who had fled into a neighboring yard — before stabbing him repeatedly.
The boy barricaded himself inside a bedroom and called 911 himself before surrendering to arriving deputies, according to court documents.
The Charges
Prosecutors with the Baldwin County District Attorney's Office have charged the teen as an adult with one count of murder in Samantha Baker's death and one count of attempted murder in the attack on Lance Baker. The suspect remains held at a juvenile detention facility on a $1 million bond, though prosecutors indicated they intend to pursue transfer to adult court for trial.
Both victims served in the military. Lance Baker is a battalion commander in the U.S. Army Reserve, while Samantha Baker spent six years in the Army National Guard before becoming a stay-at-home mother, according to AL.com.
Neighbor Shawn Scurry told the news outlet she believed the teen had experienced some form of mental crisis.
"I never saw this coming, I was in shock," Scurry said. "And he's going house to house, hand prints, there's blood on them all."
Key Takeaways
- Samantha Baker, 37, was killed at the family home; her husband survived but remained hospitalized Monday
- The couple's son, 17, is charged as an adult with murder and attempted murder
- Authorities allege the violence began during an argument over discipline
- The teen called 911 himself before surrendering to deputies
- Both victims were military veterans — Lance Baker serves as an Army Reserve battalion commander
What's Next
The suspect faces a preliminary hearing where prosecutors must show probable cause for the charges. A judge will also rule on whether to transfer the case to adult court, where the teen could face significantly harsher penalties if convicted, including potential life imprisonment without parole.
Lance Baker's condition at the hospital was described as serious but stable.