A Las Vegas babysitter has been arrested and charged with the fatal stabbing of a 3-year-old girl, allegedly carrying out the attack while the child’s father was at work.
The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) responded to a stabbing incident around 3:36 a.m. on March 26 at an apartment on Channel 10 Drive.
Upon arrival, officers discovered a young girl suffering from multiple stab wounds. Despite life-saving efforts, she was transported to a hospital, where she was later pronounced dead.
Suspect Arrested Near the Scene
Authorities identified the suspect as 41-year-old Marketta Phillips, who was taken into custody near the crime scene. The Clark County Coroner’s Office confirmed the victim as Journei Ross, 3, stating her cause of death was multiple stab wounds.
Homicide detectives determined that Phillips had been babysitting Journei while the child’s father was at work. At some point during the night, Phillips attacked the toddler and fled the scene before the father returned home.
Disturbing Crime Scene and Chilling Notes
According to an arrest report, the girl’s father arrived home to find Phillips covered in blood, surrounded by multiple knives on the kitchen floor. Police later recovered three sheets of paper with disturbing messages written in red marker, including:
- “See what happens when you [mess] with people’s lives.”
- “Now we both have nothing.”
Father’s Heartbreaking 911 Call
Recounting the horrifying moment, Journei’s father told reporters he had left his daughter in Phillips’ care multiple times before and had no reason to suspect danger.
In a frantic 911 call obtained by KLAS, he can be heard screaming:
- “You killed my [expletive] child!”
- “My baby is not breathing. My baby just bled all over the goddamn bed. What the fk did you do?”
The father also revealed that he had been in an on-and-off relationship with Phillips and that she had been living in his apartment for a year.
Mother Speaks Out
Journei’s mother, Whitson, said she had never met Phillips before seeing her in court on March 27.
- “I didn’t know this woman. Today was literally the first day I’ve ever seen this woman in my life. This is crazy, she took my baby.”
Legal Proceedings
Phillips has been charged with Open Murder with a Deadly Weapon and is currently being held without bail at the Clark County Detention Center. Her next court appearance is set for April 1.
