Utah ‘cheerleader mom’ suspected of killing daughter, 11, was involved in bitter custody fight, documents reveal

Court documents allege that Tawnia McGeehan temporarily lost custody of her daughter after committing an act of domestic violence

A mother suspected of killing her 11-year-old cheerleader daughter before turning her gun on herself had previously been locked in a bitter custody battle with her ex-husband, according to court documents.

Addi Smith and her mother, Tawnia McGeehan, were found dead in the Rio Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, after travelling to the city for a cheerleading competition.

“At some time last night, the mother shot her daughter and then shot herself,” Lieutenant Robert Price told reporters on Sunday evening. “This is a sad and tragic incident, and our hearts go out to the family.”

But court papers seen byThe New York Post state that McGeehan had spent years fighting for custody of Addi, amid her divorce from Brad Smith, her former husband.

Eventually, she was granted a split-custody agreement, although the terms were strict.

open image in gallery

Tawnia McGeehan is pictured with her daughter, Addi Smith, endured a bitter nine year custody battle with her ex-husband (A Voice for the Voiceless)

Both parents were ordered to remain in their vehicles while handing over Addi at her school. Each car was required to be at least five spaces apart, with the youngster having to walk between them herself.

When school was not in session, the handover of Addi between her two parents would take place at the Herriman Police Department in Utah at 9 am every Monday.

Disagreements between the pair were to be resolved by email, with the court stating that emergency mediation sessions would be required for larger-scale decisions.

Documents seen by Fox 5 also alleged that McGeehan temporarily lost custody of Addi in 2020, after a court ruled that she had acted in a way that could alienate her daughter from her father.

In 2021, McGeehan filed a temporary restraining order against Addi’s stepmother, claiming that she had been filming custody exchanges. She suggested this violated the terms agreed upon by the couple in court.

Eventually, McGeehan and Smith reached an agreement in 2024 for joint custody on a one-week-on, one-week-off basis.

Addi was reported missing on the morning of February 15, 2026, by her cheer squad, Utah Xtreme Cheer, after both she and her mother had failed to appear at a team meeting.

When the squad requested a welfare check, cops raced to the Rio Hotel & Casino to find the pair.

However, when neither Addi nor her mother answered the door, officers from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department determined they lacked sufficient evidence to enter the room.

Eventually, security staff at the hotel entered the room at 2.30 pm that same Sunday. Inside, they found both Addi’s and McGeehan’s bodies alongside a note.

Cops have yet to disclose the note’s contents.

open image in gallery

The mom allegedly shot her 11-year-old daughter in the Rio Hotel & Casino before turning her gun on herself, police say (LV Sun)

The investigation is currently working on the belief that the mother shot her daughter dead on Saturday night before turning the gun on herself.

“Anytime that you are dealing with any type of child death, it’s sad,” Lieutenant Robert Price told reporters. “It’s a tragedy; our hearts go out to the family.”

Police say that the victim’s family and her cheer squad have been informed, as tributes to Addi flood in online.

“With the heaviest hearts, we share the devastating news that our sweet athlete Addi has passed away,” Utah Xtreme Cheer wrote late on Sunday evening. “We are completely heartbroken.

“No words do the situation justice,” the tribute continued. “She was so beyond loved, and she will always be a part of the UXC family.”

Emily Morgan, Addi’s former cheer coach and the owner of Utah Fusion All-Stars in South Jordan, told KUTV that the youngster had loved cheerleading and that her absence had left a “void.”

“She would learn her part, and she took a lot of pride in what she was doing,” Morgan added. “As a coach, that’s the dream.

“And because of that attitude, I always knew she was going to go far in this experience.”

On Monday evening, Addi’s neighbors in Utah began tying blue ribbons around street lights in a show of support for the late pre-teen.

“We want them all to know that we’re thinking about them and care for them,” Alison Johnson, one of Addi’s neighbors, told KSL.com. “It was just absolute shock and disbelief.”

Another neighbor, Rob Hoch, told KSL.com that it was “going to be hard not to see her around.”

In the wake of the devastating murder-suicide that claimed the lives of 38-year-old Tawnia McGeehan and her 11-year-old daughter Addi Smith, ex-husband and father Brad Smith has broken his silence for the first time since the tragedy unfolded at the Rio Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. Speaking exclusively in emotional interviews shared across media outlets on February 17, 2026, Smith opened up about the last phone call he received from McGeehan and the three final words uttered by Addi that continue to torment him amid unimaginable grief.

The comments come as the community processes the horror: McGeehan and Addi, in Las Vegas for Addi’s cheer competition with Utah Xtreme Cheer, were found dead Sunday afternoon after failing to appear for the event. Police confirmed McGeehan shot her daughter before turning the gun on herself late Saturday night, leaving behind a handwritten suicide note and court documents related to their prolonged custody battle. No contents of the note have been released publicly, but the discovery has intensified questions about the nine-year legal fight following their 2015 divorce.

Smith, a sergeant with the Salem Police Department in Utah (where Addi was remembered as his niece through family ties), described the phone call as brief but deeply unsettling. According to his account, McGeehan reached out Saturday evening—hours before the suspected act—sounding unusually calm yet distant. “She called to talk about Addi’s competition, but it felt off,” Smith reportedly said. “There was no anger like in the past, just this quiet resignation. She said something about wanting Addi to be happy, no matter what.” He declined to elaborate further on specifics, citing the ongoing investigation, but emphasized the call’s normalcy masked deeper pain.

The most haunting revelation came regarding Addi. Smith revealed that during a FaceTime or quick check-in earlier that day (details vary slightly across reports), Addi spoke her last words to him: “I love you, Dad.” Those three simple words—”I love you, Dad”—now replay endlessly in his mind. “She said it with that big smile, like always,” he shared tearfully. “She was so excited for the competition. Those words… they haunt me because I didn’t know it was goodbye. How do you live with that?”

The custody history looms large over Smith’s statements. Court records show years of acrimony: temporary restraining orders, allegations of parental alienation against McGeehan (dismissed in some instances), and strict handover rules—including parking five spots apart at school to minimize contact. By 2024, they settled on joint legal and physical custody with a week-on, week-off schedule, McGeehan often retaining primary residence. Smith has not blamed the system outright but noted the “exhausting” toll it took on everyone, particularly Addi.

Addi’s stepmom, McKennly Smith, had posted a desperate missing persons plea on Facebook Sunday morning: “My daughter Addi and her mom [are] missing please share post and call or text with any information thank you!” The post, featuring a smiling photo of Addi and McGeehan, preceded the grim discovery by hours. Utah Xtreme Cheer echoed the heartbreak: “We are completely heartbroken. No words do the situation justice. She was so beyond loved, and she will always be a part of the UXC family.”

Smith’s public remarks, while limited, express profound sorrow and a call for compassion. “Addi was everything—bright, kind, talented. She didn’t deserve this,” he said. He urged awareness of mental health struggles in high-conflict divorces, without assigning blame. A GoFundMe set up to support the family through funerals and grief has seen rapid donations, with tributes pouring in from cheer communities and law enforcement circles.

As Las Vegas Metro Police continue their investigation—autopsies pending, motive tied potentially to despair over custody, finances, or recent stressors—the focus shifts to healing. Smith’s words underscore a father’s enduring pain: those final “I love you, Dad” echoing as both comfort and torment in the silence left behind.

This tragedy serves as a stark reminder of the hidden battles many families face. Resources for support include national crisis lines and local mental health services. The family has requested privacy as they navigate this loss.