02/19/2026
‼️ UTAH MOM WHO KILLED DAUGHTER HAD HISTORY OF DV AND AT ONE POINT ONLY SUPERVISED VISITS
The Utah mother who fatally shot her 11-year-old daughter before taking her own life at a Las Vegas cheerleading competition had been granted joint custody and sweeping decision-making authority over the child — despite a prior family court finding that she committed domestic abuse in front of her daughter, court records show.
Tawnia McGeehan, 38, was awarded joint legal and joint physical custody of Addi Smith in a May 7, 2024 order following a nearly decade-long custody battle with Addi’s father, Brad Smith.
Under that final order, both parents were deemed “fit and proper persons.” They alternated weekly custody and were instructed to have minimal contact during handoffs. The court also granted McGeehan “presumptive decision-making authority” over major aspects of Addi’s life — including education, health care and religious upbringing — though Smith retained the right to challenge her decisions before a judge.
The 2024 ruling stands in stark contrast to earlier court findings.
In a Dec. 8, 2020 order, Family Court Commissioner Marian Ito wrote that McGeehan “has committed domestic abuse in the presence of the minor child,” though the documents did not specify the victim. The commissioner further stated that Smith demonstrated a better understanding of Addi’s “physical and emotional needs.”
Court records also indicate McGeehan subjected Addi to “parental alienation,” and her ability to effectively co-parent was described as “seriously in question.”
In October 2020, a judge ordered that McGeehan’s parenting time be supervised. Three family members or friends were appointed to monitor her visits, and Smith was temporarily granted sole custody pending further review. A January 2021 hearing was scheduled to reassess that arrangement, though it remains unclear what ultimately resulted from that proceeding.
The custody battle also included additional legal troubles. McGeehan faced custodial interference charges in 2018 and had filed back-to-back bankruptcies, according to court filings.
Despite those issues — and prior court concerns about domestic abuse and parenting fitness — the 2024 order restored joint custody and granted McGeehan primary authority over major life decisions affecting her daughter.
McGeehan and Addi were found shot to death Sunday at the Rio Hotel & Casino in their room after they failed to appear at a cheer competition. Authorities have described the deaths as a murder-suicide.
The case has renewed scrutiny over how family courts assess risk factors in high-conflict custody disputes — and whether earlier warning signs were missed.
