Pa. Babysitter Allegedly Stabs Kid's Mom to Death, Then Calls Police: 'Why Did I Do That?'

Lavrius Watson, 26, has been arrested and charged with one count of criminal homicide in the killing of 41-year-old Elizabeth Bennett Leonard

Photo: PA State Police

A Pennsylvania man has been arrested after he allegedly shared a marijuana cookie with the mother of the child he was babysitting and then stabbed her to death.

Lavrius Watson, 26, was taken into custody on Saturday and charged with one count of criminal homicide in the killing of 41-year-old Elizabeth Bennett Leonard, the Pennsylvania State Police said in a press release.

Authorities responded to a Luzerne County home following reports of a domestic disturbance just after midnight on Saturday. Upon arrival, they found Leonard dead at the scene with "obvious traumatic injuries," the release states.

Watson later told investigators that he had been hired as a babysitter for Leonard's children and that, at one point, the two adults shared a marijuana cookie, according to a criminal complaint obtained by The Pocono Record, The Citizen's Voice and WNEP.

He allegedly said he had an adverse reaction to the marijuana and remembered pulling a knife from a kitchen drawer before stabbing Leonard in the stomach approximately five times, the Pocono Record reports.

According to the criminal complaint, Leonard's 10-year-old child was in the home at the time of the stabbing, reports the outlet.

Police wrote in their arrest report that Watson was "audibly crying" when he called 911 to inform emergency personnel that he had stabbed Leonard, according to The Pocono Record.

When authorities arrived at the home, they reportedly found Leonard's body propped against the front door.

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Meanwhile, police said, Watson was covered in blood and was muttering: "Why did I do that?" according to The Pocono Record.

Watson is currently being held at the Luzerne County Prison without bail, and he is scheduled to appear in court on Oct. 28 for a preliminary hearing, the outlet reports.

Attorney information for Watson was not available Tuesday.