Maryland Good Samaritan Stabbed to Death After Giving Money to Woman Asking for Help to Feed Her Baby

Jacquelyn Smith, 52, was with her family driving through the Baltimore neighborhood of Johnston Square when they saw a young woman carrying what appeared to be an infant and holding a cardboard sign that said “please help me feed my baby” early Saturday, the Metro Crime Stoppers of Maryland said.
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Jacquelyn Smith, 52, was with her family driving through the Baltimore neighborhood of Johnston Square when they saw a young woman carrying what appeared to be an infant.

A Maryland woman was stabbed to death while trying to give who appeared to be a young mother money for her and her baby, authorities said.

Jacquelyn Smith, 52, was with her family driving through the Baltimore neighborhood of Johnston Square when they saw a young woman carrying what appeared to be an infant and holding a cardboard sign that said “please help me feed my baby” early Saturday, the Metro Crime Stoppers of Maryland said.

Smith, who was sitting in the front passenger seat, rolled down her window to give the woman money, officials said. 

A man then approached the car seeming to thank the family, but then reached into the vehicle to grab Smith’s wallet. Smith and the man struggled before the man took out a knife and stabbed her in the chest, police said.

The man and the woman carrying the sign fled the scene. It was not immediately clear if they were known to each other. 

Smith was rushed to an area hospital, but could not be saved, cops said.

“When you see something like this happen to a good Samaritan it kind of makes you stop and think,” said Robert Stokes, Baltimore City’s District 12 councilman, told WJZ-TV. “It makes you stop and don’t roll your windows down because those kinds of things make people that really want to help people on the corner saying they got to feed their children not to do it. That’s sad and my condolences go out to the family.”

Investigators are searching for the man and woman, and have asked anyone with information to call 1-410-396-2100, or to contact the Metro Crime Stoppers at 1-866-7-LOCKUP.

The man is described as being about 30 years old and standing about 6 feet tall. He also had a goatee, authorities said.

The woman was believed to be in her 20s and was about 5-foot-4. She was last seen wearing a brown jacket. 

“Detectives did talk to the two family members who were in the car. Certainly, we can all imagine how distraught they were after witnessing something like that,” Det. Jeremy Silbert, public information officer with the Baltimore City Police, told WJZ-TV. “Right now, we just hope someone in the community will come forward.”

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