For years, the custody dispute surrounding Utah mother Tawnia McGeehan and her daughter Addilyn “Addi” Smith unfolded through courtrooms, temporary orders and repeated disagreements between McGeehan and her former husband, Bradley Smith. Months after the deaths of mother and daughter in a Las Vegas H๏τel room, newly released records have provided a more detailed picture of the legal history that preceded the tragedy. The documents do not provide a simple explanation for what happened, but they show that the family’s custody situation changed dramatically over time.

McGeehan and Addi were in Las Vegas in February for a cheerleading compeтιтion when they failed to appear. After attempts to reach them were unsuccessful, Addi’s father requested a welfare check. Police eventually went to the H๏τel room, where the two were later discovered ᴅᴇᴀᴅ. Authorities determined that Addi’s death was a homicide and McGeehan’s death a suicide. The deaths occurred on Feb. 15, 2026, at the Rio H๏τel and Casino.

The case attracted renewed attention in September after the Clark County coroner released investigative and toxicology information. Those documents showed that investigators recovered several handwritten notes and that both mother and daughter had multiple substances in their systems. The official reports stated that the gunsH๏τ wounds were the causes of death. They also documented information supplied by McGeehan’s family concerning her history of severe depression and previous suicidal thoughts. The coroner’s material referenced an ongoing custody dispute but did not establish a single definitive motive for the deaths.

The earlier custody records are particularly significant because they show how different the family’s legal circumstances had been at different points. In a December 2020 order, Family Court Commissioner Marian Ito found that McGeehan had committed domestic abuse in the presence of the child and expressed concerns about her parenting. At that stage, McGeehan’s contact with Addi was restricted to supervised visitation, while Addi’s father was given sole custody. The court documents also raised concerns about parental alienation and whether the parents could effectively cooperate.

That arrangement did not remain permanent. A May 2024 custody order subsequently classified both parents as fit and proper persons and awarded joint legal and joint physical custody. The order established alternating periods of care and gave McGeehan presumptive decision-making authority on several major issues involving Addi, including education and health care. The dramatic change between the 2020 and 2024 orders has become one of the most closely examined aspects of the case.

KSL’s review of court records also found that McGeehan had encountered several legal disputes following her divorce from Smith, including matters connected to custody and alleged interference. The records show a complicated relationship between the parents rather than a dispute that emerged immediately before the deaths. The custody battle had continued for years.

The newly released coroner’s report adds another layer but does not resolve every question. It records that investigators found multiple apparent suicide notes and that McGeehan had reportedly been experiencing severe depression in connection with breakups and the continuing custody conflict. Her family told investigators about previous suicidal ideation but said they were unaware of any previous attempts.

The sequence of events at the H๏τel has also become clearer. According to the coroner’s report, the father requested a welfare check after mother and daughter failed to attend the compeтιтion. Other people ᴀssociated with the event also made calls. Officers initially went to the room but did not enter because they lacked sufficient grounds to force entry. A later call led to further action, and H๏τel security eventually entered and discovered the bodies.

The case therefore raises questions that extend beyond the final day. How did a family situation that once resulted in supervised visitation evolve into an arrangement involving joint physical custody? What information was available to the courts at each stage? And how should later events be interpreted without ᴀssuming that the tragedy could have been predicted from earlier court proceedings?

Those questions remain separate from the official findings about the deaths themselves. Court records document earlier disputes and judicial decisions; coroner records document the circumstances discovered after the deaths. Neither, by itself, provides a complete explanation for why the final events occurred.

As the family’s story continues to receive attention, the most striking element may be the contrast between the legal history and the memories now being shared by relatives. In September, McGeehan’s mother, Connie, described her daughter as deeply devoted to Addi and recalled the pair spending time together at amusement parks, swimming pools, arcades and other family outings. Her account reflects the family’s personal memories, while the court and coroner documents provide a very different record of the conflicts that existed behind the scenes.

The result is a case in which the public record has continued to expand months after the deaths. What initially appeared to be a devastating incident at a H๏τel during a children’s sporting event has become a much broader story involving custody litigation, prior court findings, family conflict, mental-health history and newly released forensic records. The documents offer pieces of the timeline, but they do not turn that complicated history into a single, definitive explanation.

Source: https://nypost.com/2026/02/19/us-news/tawnia-mcgeehan-had-visits-with-slain-daughter-cut-record-of-violence