Tasha Haefs: Kansas City mom murders son, 6, tells 911 'devil tried to attack her'
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI: A six-year-old child was brutally killed and decapitated in Kansas City on Tuesday, February 15, allegedly by his 35-year-old mother. On Wednesday, February 16, Tasha Haefs was charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action.
On the day of the murder, police responded to Haefs' home after a woman, later identified as Haefs, called 911 and said that "the devil was trying to attack her". Upon arriving, police found blood and hair on the front steps and front door. "Officers were able to determine the residence was occupied by a female," a criminal complaint obtained by PEOPLE said. "However, she refused to answer the door."
READ MORE
Who is Claudia Camacho-Duenas? Colorado mom, 37, stabbed and killed her two children
Matthew Coleman begs for 'forgiveness' after killing his 2 children as they had 'serpent DNA'
The complaint said that investigators learned that there were several children living in the home, but neighbors had not seen them for a few days. "Officers while attempting to make contact with the female occupant observed what appeared to be the severed head of a deceased person near the threshold of the residence," the complaint alleged. "Officers fearing for the safety of any children remaining inside the residence forced entry under exigent circumstances and took the female occupant into custody without incident."
Police reportedly found no other children but "located the decapitated body of a young child near the front door of the residence," according to the complaint. They also found a dead dog inside the house. "The female suspect had apparent blood on her person and two knives with apparent blood on them were observed in plain view throughout the residence," read the complaint. A blood-stained screwdriver was also found. "Haefs admitted to killing the victim in the bathtub and decapitating the victim," the complaint stated. She remains in police custody on no bond.
In another similar incident, a 34-year-old Tennessee woman was sentenced to life in prison on Tuesday, February 8, for stabbing her four children to death in 2016. Shanynthia Gardner was sentenced after her insanity plea was rejected by a judge. Criminal Court Judge James Lammey Jr. sentenced Gardner to life in prison with the possibility of parole.
Gardner's children, aged four, three, two, and 5 months, were found with stab wounds in their necks. They were pronounced dead at the scene. The Shelby County District Attorney´s Office said that another kid, who was seven in 2016, escaped in time to seek help. Back when the crime took place, Gardner worked at St Jude Children's Research Hospital. She admitted to killing the kids to her husband on the phone. The judge rejected an insanity defense that her lawyer argued. The district attorney's office said that although prosecutors agreed that Gardner was mentally unwell, she did understand that her actions were wrong.