Police in Las Vegas have disclosed that a Utah dance mother, who murdered her own daughter before taking her own life, left a note pinned to their hotel room door prior to the tragic incident. The bodies of Tawnia McGeehan, 34, and her 11-year-old daughter Addi Smith were discovered inside their room at the Rio Hotel last month, following a series of welfare checks.
Discovery of the Note and Fatal Scene
According to a 911 call made by fire officials and reviewed by the Las Vegas Review-Journal, emergency responders found a note on the door after being summoned for a welfare check. Initially, police had visited the room after Addi failed to appear at a cheerleading competition, but they departed when they received no response. Hotel staff continued to receive urgent requests for welfare checks, prompting fire officials to intervene upon discovering the note.
Ambulance teams subsequently alerted dispatchers after finding the two deceased inside the room. They reported observing gunshot wounds and a prescription pill bottle at the scene. McGeehan's attorney, James Watts, informed People magazine that he was aware of the note but had not yet seen its contents. He expressed the family's hope that the note would eventually be returned to McGeehan's mother, who desires to understand what was communicated in those final moments.
Frantic Father and Bitter Custody Dispute
Addi's father, Bradley Smith, frantically dialed 911 from his home in Utah after his ex-wife, McGeehan, ceased communication with him. In a call log obtained by the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Smith stated, 'I’m trying to figure out where my daughter and her mom is. They were supposed to be at a dance competition this morning. They didn’t show up. People went to their hotel room, they’re not answering the door. They’re not answering messages or even seeing the messages. It’s very strange.'
The Daily Mail revealed that McGeehan and Smith were embroiled in an exceptionally bitter custody battle over their daughter, with Utah court officials implementing extreme measures to keep the two apart following their divorce in 2015. These measures included requiring them to park five spaces apart during handovers, with Addi walking between the cars independently. During school breaks, handovers were mandated to occur outside the Herriman Police Department in Utah at 9 a.m. each Monday morning.
Court-Ordered Restrictions and Communication Rules
Both parents were explicitly warned in the custody ruling against filming the handovers and were prohibited from approaching each other at Addi's school events. The court ordered them to 'encourage and accept' a positive relationship between Addi and the other parent, while keeping their 'personal conflicts' away from the child. Additionally, they had to ensure Addi was available for FaceTime calls on Tuesday and Friday nights at 6 p.m., with each parent given a 15-minute window to initiate the call or risk forfeiting it for the day.
The parents were forbidden from criticizing each other in front of Addi and from allowing relatives to do the same. They were also instructed to use the Family Wizard app for messaging, a tool designed for contentious couples sharing children, and were permitted to text each other only in emergencies involving Addi.
Custody Changes and Allegations of Parental Alienation
Initially, upon their divorce, it was agreed that Addi would reside with McGeehan under a joint custody arrangement. However, in December 2020, the court awarded sole custody to Smith. Facebook photos indicated he was a devoted father, and Addi appeared to adore him. This ruling followed a judge's determination that McGeehan was engaging in 'behavior that is on the spectrum of parental alienation' and had 'committed domestic abuse in the presence of the minor child.' No further specifics were provided in the court papers reviewed by the Daily Mail.
Tribute from Cheerleading Troupe
The Utah Xtreme Cheer troupe, of which Addi was a member, shared a heartfelt tribute to her. A spokesperson said, 'With the heaviest hearts, we share the devastating news that our sweet athlete Addi has passed away. 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. Please keep her family in your thoughts and prayers and continue to send them love as they navigate this unimaginable loss. We ask that you respect their privacy during this time. Addi, we love you tremendously.'
