Lizzie (Brighton Sharbino), Carol (Melissa Suzanne McBride) and Walker – The Walking Dead _ Season 4, Episode 14 – Photo Credit: Gene Page/AMC /

The Walking Dead series has many notable deaths that have left viewers shook. Talk with any fan of the series and they can tell which deaths affected them the most during the 11-season run of the series. Children’s deaths often significantly impact people, which is an awful thing to witness. This is the case with Lizzie Samuels.

During season 4, viewers are introduced to Ryan Samuels (Victor McCay) and his daughters, Lizzie (Brighton Sharbino)and Mika (Kyla Kennedy). Before Ryan succumbs to multiple walker bites, he asks Carol Peletier (Melissa McBride) to care for his daughters.

Carol, who lost her daughter Sophia (Madison Lintz) in season 2, gladly took charge of the girls, training them to defend themselves. After the fall of the prison, Carol is separated from the girls but is reunited and discovers that Tyreese (Chad Coleman) was able to flee the prison with Judith, Lizzie and Mika.

The Walking Dead – The Grove

Lizzie could never come to terms with the undead and what they truly were. She believed them to be a different version of their former selves, often describing them as friends. She suffered severe psychological problems, which was most evident in the season 4 episode, “The Grove,” which would also be her death episode.

After Carol reunites with Tyreese and the girls, they discover a house in a pecan grove. They are on their way to Terminus but estimate they are several days away. This house offers a great spot to rest and recuperate before heading to their destination.

While Carol and Tyreese sweep the house for walkers while the girls wait outside. Lizzie is upset that Carol and Tyreese will kill any walkers they find, and Mika tells her they aren’t people, a comment that Lizzie disagrees with. The girls are set upon by a walker, which Mika shoots, which sets Lizzie into a fit, mourning the dead walker. Mika consoles her telling her to look at some flowers.

This behavior concerns Carol but not as much as the next day when she finds Lizzie outside “playing” with a new walker friend. When Carol kills it, Lizzie freaks out, telling Carol that “Griselda,” as she named the walker, was her friend and Carol killed her. Other behaviors throughout the episode lead to the worst scene.

Carol and Tyreese come upon Lizzie standing over Mika’s prone body, knife in hand, hands, and forearms bloodied. She tells them not to worry because she didn’t harm her brain so that she will come back. She tells them she was just about to do the same to Judith. Carol explains that Judith is too young as she can’t walk yet. She pulls a gun on Carol and Tyreese, telling them they must wait for Mika to wake up.

This was such a shocking scene that no one expected to witness. Lizzie showed no remorse for killing her sister. This would eventually lead to Carol once again doing the hard job that no one else has the courage to do. She takes Lizzie to the field, tells her to “Look at the flowers,” and shoots her in the head.

“The Grove” is one of the best episodes of The Walking Dead series. This episode was written by Scott Gimple and marked the directorial debut of cinematographer Michael E. Satrazemis, who would direct many Walking Dead, Fear the Walking Dead and Tales of the Walking Dead episodes.

Paul Vigna of the Wall Street Journal summed it up best:

“Of all the sick, demented things that have happened in the zombie apocalypse on “The Walking Dead,” it’s hard to imagine any as shocking and sad as seeing insane little Lizzie standing over the sister she just stabbed to death, no concept of what she’d just done, fully expecting her to “come back.” Carol being forced to kill Lizzie was a close second. There’s really no two ways about it, this was one of the sickest episodes of “The Walking Dead” in its entire run. All the darkest crevices of the human psyche come out in tonight’s episode, “The Grove,” and while it’s one thing when you see a character like the Governor do shocking, demented things, it’s far more upsetting and uncomfortable to see a child, a little girl, doing them. But that’s where this show went tonight. It’s hard to imagine any other show on television would go that dark. You really have a build an audience up for it, because it’s not an easy thing to swallow at all.”