New Mexico: Woman Shoots 11-Month-Old Son in the Face to Prevent Father From Getting Custody in US

Madeline Veronique Daly, 36, pleaded guilty this week to first-degree murder after killing her 11-month-old son, Basil Stoner, inside an RV in rural New Mexico, prosecutors said. Daly had taken the child across state lines in violation of a court order granting emergency custody to his father.

Authorities located Daly at an RV park near Silver City on December 23 after she applied for a job and an arrest warrant appeared during a background check, The New York Post reported. When officers surrounded the RV, they heard a gunshot and entered to find Basil fatally shot in the face with a 9mm handgun. Angelynn Mock Pleads Guilty: Ex-News Anchor Admits Killing Mother After Believing She Was Possessed by the Devil.

Child Taken Across State Lines, Then Killed

Daly had taken Basil from Wyoming to New Mexico despite a court order concerning his custody. The boy's father had been granted emergency custody and told investigators that he had last seen his son on September 28.

According to an arrest affidavit obtained by Cowboy State Daily, Daly took the child because “she was not going to allow her (then) 8-month-old baby go back and forth from Nebraska to Wyoming twice a month.” The custody dispute ultimately led authorities to track Daly to the New Mexico RV park. US: Indian-Origin Teen Charged With Killing Mother and Brother in Massachusetts.

Police Surround RV Before Fatal Shooting

The Grant County Sheriff's Office located Daly after a warrant arrest appeared during a background check connected to her job application. Police saw her run inside an RV and surrounded the vehicle while waiting for a warrant to enter. Officers then heard a single gunshot.

They rushed inside and found that Daly had fatally shot Basil with a 9mm handgun. Daly also attempted to turn the gun on herself, but officers were able to subdue her, according to the arrest affidavit.

Daly Told Investigators Killing Was “Worth It”

Following her arrest, Daly told investigators she believed she was keeping her son “safe.” She also said killing the child was “worth it” if it meant Basil's father and parental relatives would never have the opportunity to see him. “When asked what went through her mind when she saw law enforcement walking up, she replied, ‘Jake can’t get Basil,’” police wrote in the document.

Daly also made unsubstantiated claims that Basil “would have been in danger and molested” if she got out of the trailer with him. She further claimed that the boy's father “never wanted anything to do with” Basil “financially, physically, emotionally ever.”

Daly pleaded guilty on Wednesday to first-degree murder. Prosecutors said she is facing the maximum sentence of life in prison. The conviction brings an end to the criminal case arising from Basil's death, while the circumstances surrounding the custody dispute formed part of the investigation into why Daly took the child.

Custody Dispute Preceded The Killing

According to investigators, Daly's actions came after a court order had granted emergency custody of Basil to his father. Authorities said she transported the child from Wyoming to New Mexico despite that order. Her statements to investigators indicated that she opposed an arrangement under which the child would travel between Nebraska and Wyoming.

The case underscores the severe consequences that can follow when custody disputes escalate beyond the legal process, although Daly's claims about potential danger to Basil were not substantiated in the information provided by authorities. Daly's sentencing will determine the final punishment following her guilty plea, with prosecutors seeking the maximum sentence of life in prison.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 28, 2026 11:48 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).