Madeline Veronique Daly, 36, has been convicted of first-degree murder for the fatal shooting of her 11-month-old son, Basil Stoner. Prosecutors stated Daly kidnapped the infant and drove him from Wyoming to New Mexico, violating a court order that had granted emergency custody to the child's father.
Authorities tracked Daly to an RV park near Silver City, New Mexico, on December 23, 2025, after a warrant for her arrest appeared during a job background check. As law enforcement surrounded the RV, they heard a single gunshot. Upon entering, they discovered Daly had fatally shot Basil in the face with a 9mm handgun. Daly then attempted to turn the weapon on herself but was subdued by officers.
During questioning, Daly reportedly told police she believed she was keeping her son "safe" and that killing him was "worth it" to prevent his father and other relatives from seeing him. She claimed she was not going to allow her then 8-month-old baby to be transported back and forth between Nebraska and Wyoming twice a month. Daly also made unsubstantiated claims that Basil would have been endangered and molested if she had left the trailer with him, and that his father had no interest in the child financially, physically, or emotionally.
Daly pleaded guilty to first-degree murder on Wednesday and is facing a maximum sentence of life in prison. The child's father, who last saw his son on September 28, 2025, had been granted emergency custody by the court.