A 36-year-old mother, Madeline Veronique Daly, has pleaded guilty to killing her 11 month old son after taking him across state lines in violation of a court order that had granted emergency custody to his father. Get the latest updates on our WhatsApp channel.
Daly admitted to killing her son, Basil Stoner, inside an RV in rural New Mexico after authorities tracked her down following the child’s disappearance.
The case began after Daly took Basil from Wyoming to New Mexico despite a court order giving emergency custody of the child to his father. The father had reportedly last seen his son on September 28.
According to an arrest affidavit, authorities eventually located Daly at an RV park near Silver City on December 23 after she had applied for a job in the area. A warrant reportedly appeared during a background check connected to the application.
When law enforcement officers spotted Daly entering an RV, they surrounded the vehicle and waited for a warrant to enter.
Officers then heard a gunshot coming from inside the RV. When they entered, they found that Daly had shot Basil in the face with a 9mm handgun.
Authorities said Daly also attempted to take her own life but was stopped and taken into custody.
During questioning, Daly reportedly told investigators that she had taken her son because she did not want him travelling between Nebraska and Wyoming twice a month.
According to the affidavit, Daly said:
“she was not going to allow her then 8-month-old baby go back and forth from Nebraska to Wyoming twice a month,”
When officers asked what went through her mind after she saw law enforcement approaching the RV, she reportedly responded:
“Jake can’t get Basil,”
Daly also made claims that Basil “would have been in danger and molested” if she left the trailer with him. She further claimed that his father “never wanted anything to do with” the boy “financially, physically, emotionally ever.”
Investigators said Daly told them she believed killing her son was worth it because she feared that being with his father would prevent her from seeing him.
The tragic case came after Daly had taken Basil across state lines despite the custody order. Authorities later tracked her down after the warrant appeared during her employment application.
Daly pleaded guilty to first-degree murder on Wednesday and is facing a maximum sentence of life in prison.