6-year-old boy who was slain in Kansas City identified by police
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Child’s tragic death
Jackson County prosecutors have charged 35-year-old Tasha L. Haefs in the death of her 6-year-old son, who Kansas City police found decapitated in a residence late at night on Feb. 15. The details of the child’s homicide are grisly.
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The 6-year-old boy who was found brutally slain earlier this week at a house in Kansas City was identified by police Thursday.
Karvel Stevens was found dead in the 7300 block of Indiana Avenue after officers responded to a disturbance late Tuesday, said Capt. Leslie Foreman, a spokeswoman with the Kansas City Police Department.
His mother Tasha Haefs, 35, was charged Wednesday with first-degree murder and armed criminal action.
Officers responded around 11:45 p.m. Tuesday to the residence after receiving a call from a woman who said “the devil was trying to attack her,” a search warrant application said. Police arrived and found blood leading from the sidewalk to the front door.
An officer was able to look inside the house and saw a severed head. Police forced their way in and found Haefs in the kitchen with blood on her hands and feet, a search warrant application said.
In the next room police found the body and head of the boy on the ground. A decapitated dog was found in the basement.
The homicide unit was called to the scene.
Haefs was transported to police headquarters where she identified Karvel as her biological child. Court documents said she admitted to killing the boy in the bathtub and decapitating him.
Elected officials called for justice in the wake of Karvel’s death.
“We don’t yet know why an elementary school aged child was killed this morning, but we understand the pain a family, school, and community are facing,” Lucas said in a tweet Wednesday morning. “May we see that the assailants are swiftly brought to justice and may we resolve to avoid more preventable tragedies like this.”
Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker said the details of Karvel’s death were “terrible.”
“It’s difficult to imagine the grief for this boy’s family. For the child’s classmates. His friends. Neighbors. The first responders who went to this crime scene,” Baker said in her statement.
“I expect it leaves us not knowing what to do. We might look at our loved ones today and give some thanks to God or even say a prayer. Thank you, my child is safe today. But we want everyone’s children to be safe.”
Haefs is being held at the Jackson County Detention Center without bond. A defense attorney for her was not listed Thursday in court records.
This story was originally published February 17, 2022 at 5:53 PM.
