Babysitter’s Shocking Crime: 3-Year-Old Girl Stabbed to Death While Father Was at Work!

A shocking and heartbreaking tragedy unfolded in Las Vegas when a babysitter was arrested for allegedly stabbing a 3-year-old girl to death while the child’s father was at work. The tragic incident occurred on the early morning of March 26, 2025, leaving the community in shock.

The Heartbreaking Incident

At approximately 3:36 a.m. on that fateful day, Jeremy Ross, the father of 3-year-old Journei, called 911 after discovering that his daughter had been fatally stabbed. Ross, who had trusted his babysitter, 41-year-old Marketta Phillips, to care for his daughter, rushed home to find Phillips covered in blood, with his young daughter unresponsive.

When police arrived at the scene, they found little Journei suffering from multiple stab wounds. Despite the swift response of emergency services, the child was pronounced dead at a local hospital shortly afterward. Phillips was taken into custody without resistance.

A Babysitter’s Unthinkable Crime

Phillips, who had been living with the family for over a year and had regularly cared for Journei, is now facing charges of open murder with a deadly weapon. Authorities discovered disturbing notes at the scene, suggesting that personal grievances may have been the motive for this unthinkable crime. Phillips made her first appearance in court on March 27, 2025.

The family is struggling to make sense of what happened. Jeremy Ross, still in disbelief, said he had never suspected Phillips to be capable of such violence. He had trusted her to care for his daughter many times before the horrific incident.

Journei’s mother, Phalan Whitson, who had never met Phillips, expressed her heartache, saying, “She took my baby.” The family is left devastated and struggling to understand how something like this could happen.

A Dark Reminder of Past Tragedies

This incident is sadly not the first time a babysitter has been involved in a violent crime against a child. In 2017, a Maryland man was convicted for killing his sister and two cousins while babysitting them, bringing to light the dangers of trusting individuals with the care of vulnerable children.

The Investigation Continues

The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department is continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death of Journei. Authorities are focusing on understanding the full extent of Phillips’s history and whether there were any warning signs prior to the tragic event.

This case serves as a stark reminder of the importance of thoroughly vetting individuals before entrusting them with the care of children.