A mom and her teenage daughter were found dead in a Las Vegas hotel over the weekend after an apparent murder-suicide, according to authorities.
Addi Smith and her mother, Tawnia McGeehan, were visiting the city for a cheerleading competition. Friends raised the alarm when the pair failed to attend a team meeting on Sunday morning. Eventually, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department was asked to conduct a wellness check at their hotel room.
“At some time last night, the mother shot her daughter and then shot herself,” Lieutenant Robert Price told reporters on Sunday evening. “This is a sad and tragic incident, and our hearts go out to the family.”
Price also gave reporters a detailed account of the search to find the pair, revealing that police first raced to the Rio Hotel & Casino along the Las Vegas strip at 10.45 am on Sunday.
However, officers were unable to enter the room due to not having enough information about the case.
Eventually, the hotel’s security team tried again at 2.30 pm after the pair’s family demanded that they try again. It was at that point that they finally entered the room.
Inside, they found the unnamed girl and her mother. Officers also found a note at the scene, but have not disclosed the contents of the letter.
The investigation that is currently working on the belief that the mother shot her daughter to death on Saturday night before turning the gun on herself.
Cops have confirmed that the pair were in Las Vegas for a cheerleading competition and have described the mother as being in her mid-30s. The daughter has been described as a pre-teen.
“Anytime that you are dealing with any type of child death, it’s sad,” Price added. “It’s a tragedy; our hearts go out to the family.”
According to him, the mother’s motives remain unknown, but both the victim’s family and her cheer team have been informed.
Both Addi and her mother were reported as missing according to a social media post from a non-profit group named A Voice for the Voiceless.
A Utah-based cheerleading team named Utah Xtreme Cheer confirmed that Addi had died in a post late on Sunday.
“With the heaviest hearts, we share the devastating news that our sweet athlete Addi has passed away,” the team wrote late on Sunday evening. “We are completely heartbroken.
“No words do the situation justice,” the tribute continued. “She was so beyond loved, and she will always be a part of the UXC family.”
The team also asked fans to respect the privacy of both Addi’s loved ones and the members of the dance troupe.
The Independent has contacted Utah Xtreme Cheer and the LVMPD.
If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call or text 988 or visit 988lifeline.org to access online chat from the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. This is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you. In the UK, people having mental health crises can contact the Samaritans at 116 123 or [email protected]
