Photo: Chandler Police/Splash News
An Arizona grandmother died after her grandchild allegedly slashed her throat, PEOPLE confirms.
Brandon Smith, 30, was arrested and booked on a first-degree premeditated murder charge Sunday in connection with the death of 81-year-old Helen Smith, who was found dead inside their Chandler apartment around 3:30 a.m. on July 29.
After Helen Smith urinated in her clothing, Smith allegedly became angry, took her to the bathroom for a shower and slapped her in the face.
After she fell unconscious into the tub, Smith then allegedly went to the kitchen, grabbed a knife, returned to the bathroom and slit her throat.
Smith allegedly didn’t want Helen “to live like this anymore” and “decided to end her life,” according to the report.
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Smith’s sister called 911 and told operators that Helen wasn’t breathing and someone had “beaten her up and sliced her throat,” the report states.
“The sister was at home and a second individual was there,” Chandler Police Department detective Seth Tyler tells PEOPLE. “When officers got on scene she told officers that it was her brother who committed the crime. She was asleep and woke up and what woke her up was Brandon carrying Helen out of the apartment.”
Tyler says Smith left the apartment before police arrived but was apprehended walking across the street.
Police say Smith was on probation for aggravated assault at the time of the attack.
“I could not imagine, I could feel her feeling, walking in, seeing your mom dead,” Whitehair said.
“She was screaming, she was frightened,” said Whitehair. “She just kept yelling, like, ‘Grandma’s gone, grandma’s gone!’”
Smith is being held on $1 million bail and scheduled to appear in court August 6. It is unclear if Smith has retained a lawyer or entered a plea.
source: people.com
