"I will not let you lay another hand on her! I don't care if you take your anger out on me or your dead husband but you will never take it out on her!"

If Samantha found out about Octavia abuse and neglect earlier and wasn't arrested due to that fake drug charge she honestly would have forced Samantha to write away her rights to Octavia and immediately adopt her. Her husband unwillingness be dammed. She might as well divorce him then. She was not happy with what Samantha was treating her kids but lost it when she learned that Samantha hit and starved Octavia at times