A mother has pleaded guilty to first-degree murder for shooting her 11-month-old son in the face during a police standoff in New Mexico, later telling officers it was “worth it” to stop the child’s father from gaining custody.
Madeline Veronique Daly, 36, entered the plea on August 24 in connection with the death of her son, Basil Stoner, on December 23, 2025, at an RV park near Silver City, New Mexico, USA. The case began in Wyoming, where Basil’s father, Jake Stoner, had been granted custody after Daly missed a court hearing and cut off contact.
Multi-state hunt and standoff
Jake Stoner reported Basil missing on November 19, 2025, sparking a multi-state search. A judge granted emergency temporary custody to the father, and Daly was wanted on a felony kidnapping warrant.
Investigators say Daly fled Wyoming and ended up in Grant County, New Mexico, living with the baby. Her location was uncovered after she applied for a job and a background check flagged the outstanding warrant, with the employer alerting authorities.
When deputies and a New Mexico State Police SWAT team moved in, Daly allegedly carried Basil into an RV and barricaded herself inside, refusing to come out. As officers tried to negotiate her surrender, prosecutors say Daly raised a 9mm handgun, pointed it at the infant’s face and pulled the trigger.
Alleged comments after arrest
Police heard the shot, forced their way in and attempted life-saving measures, but Basil died at the scene before he could be airlifted. After her arrest, Daly’s alleged comments stunned investigators.
Reports say she said shooting her child was “worth it” and claimed she did it to keep him safe from his father and relatives. She also said her first thought when she saw law enforcement approaching the RV was: “Jake can’t get Basil.”
Court documents also allege Daly said she would “do it again” to ensure Jake’s family never “touched him”, and admitted she wasn’t fast enough to take her own life afterwards. Her guilty plea came in a deal that dropped a child abuse charge.
Sentencing and further charges
Under New Mexico law, Daly faces up to 30 years to life in prison, with sentencing still to be set by Judge Tom F. Stewart. She is also reportedly expected to face outstanding custody interference and kidnapping charges in Wyoming, and could face federal charges for crossing state lines.
An obituary for Basil said: “His father Jake was as proud as can be to finally have the son he always wanted… Basil was happiest outdoors and loved watching animals and he really liked blueberries.”
Jake Stoner reportedly said he had hoped the case would be prosecuted at the federal level, which could have opened the door to a more severe sentence. “There's a special kind of evil at work here,” he told Cowboy State Daily. “This is the most God-awful thing I've ever experienced.”
