The fatal stabbing of a Baltimore woman who gave cash to a woman asking for help feeding her baby has given Oprah Winfrey second thoughts.
The media mogul tweeted Tuesday about Jacquelyn Smith, who was killed on Dec. 1 when she handed over cash to a woman through her rolled-down window. Smith was then approached by a man who acted as if he was going to thank her and stabbed the 52-year-old in the chest after a struggle over her wallet, CNN reported.
“They snatched her necklace, and before I knew it, the girl snatched the little pocketbook from the seat and they both ran,” Smith’s husband Keith Smith recalled to CBS Baltimore. “I jumped out the car to run, but I heard my wife screaming, so I came back to the car.”
Smith died not long after she arrived at the hospital.
Authorities think the crime was a premeditated ruse. They are searching for the man accused of stabbing Jacquelyn, who was in the car with relatives at the time of the attack. The suspect is believed to be in his 30s and has a goatee.
For Winfrey, whose net worth is $2.7 billion, the story is enough to give the charitable star pause when she encounters panhandlers in the future between the half-dozen residences she owns between the Caribbean and Hawaii.
“This story struck my heart. I’ve done this a 1k times. But will think twice before ever doing again. To J.S. family I hope her death gets people ‘woke’ to change!” she tweeted Tuesday, Dec. 4.
Rapper Missy Elliott also saw the story and agreed.
“I’ve done this to and I have gotten out the car to run across the street to help… my prayers for strength for him & her family🙏🏾,” the MC replied.
Others agreed with the celebrities.
“Yeah man I think twice about giving money to people just to avoid stuff like this, I may give if I see a them consistently in the neighborhood panhandling but if it’s my first time seeing, keep it moving!!”
“Ive done this a lot but I’ll be afraid to ever do so again.”
“So sad 😭 I did it many times, but this opened my 👀 & tainted my heart a bit. Givers beware.”
