A woman has pleaded guilty to murdering her 11-month-old son after authorities said she took the baby across state lines in violation of a custody order and fatally shot him inside an RV in New Mexico.
Madeline Veronique Daly, 36, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in the death of her infant son, Basil Stoner, according to the 6th Judicial District Attorney’s Office.
Basil was killed on Dec. 23, 2025, inside an RV near Silver City, New Mexico.
Authorities said Daly had taken Basil from Wyoming to New Mexico despite a court order granting the boy’s father emergency custody.
Grant County Sheriff’s deputies were alerted that Daly was staying on a rural property along a New Mexico highway and that she was wanted on kidnapping charges in Wyoming.
When deputies arrived, they reportedly found Daly near a bunkhouse.
Police said she then ran toward a nearby RV.
Deputies surrounded the vehicle and began waiting for a search warrant.
Then they heard a gunshot.
Officers rushed inside and discovered that Basil had been shot with a 9mm handgun, according to investigators.
Emergency medical workers desperately tried to save the baby, but he died from his injuries.
An affidavit obtained by Cowboy State Daily said medical staff “worked on the child, but they were unable to save his life due to the gunshot wound to the face.”
Authorities said Daly was discovered after she applied for a job and the prospective employer ran a background check.
That check reportedly revealed she had an outstanding kidnapping warrant.
Investigators said Daly made disturbing statements after her arrest about why she killed her son.
According to the affidavit, Daly allegedly told authorities that she believed killing Basil was “worth it” if it meant his father and paternal relatives would never have access to him.
She also claimed she feared Basil would be in danger if she surrendered him.
Daly allegedly told investigators she believed Basil “would have been in danger and molested if she would have stepped out of that trailer.”
She also accused the boy’s father of never wanting anything to do with Basil “financially, physically, emotionally ever,” according to the affidavit.
Authorities have not said that those allegations were substantiated.
Daly was arrested the same day as the shooting and initially charged with first-degree murder and child abuse.
She also faced kidnapping allegations stemming from taking Basil out of Wyoming against the custody order.
The district attorney’s office announced this week that Daly has now pleaded guilty to first-degree murder.
She will be sentenced at a later date.
It was not immediately clear what happened to the remaining child abuse or kidnapping charges.
A GoFundMe created for Basil’s father identified the baby publicly and was set up in his memory.
The case began as a custody dispute and interstate kidnapping investigation before ending with the death of an 11-month-old child inside an RV.
If you suspect child abuse, the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline can be reached 24 hours a day at 1-800-422-4453.
She needs to have her head cut off.
I heard a group of young female teachers saying women today have a right to murder their children since they were the ones who gave birth to them.
They said AMERICAN women need to rally around women who murder their kids…. and also protest against ICE and to stand up for the rights of illegals who commit crimes in America!!
1. They were teachers
2. They were females…. all of them!!!