KC mother accused of murdering 6-year-old son held without bond amid mental evaluation
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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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A Kansas City mother accused of decapitating her 6-year-old son last week will continue to be held without bond as her mental fitness remains under evaluation following a court hearing Thursday.
Tasha L. Haefs, 35, appeared via video conference Thursday afternoon in Jackson County Circuit Court as she faces charges of first-degree murder and armed criminal action. Her public defender asked Judge Sarah A. Castle that the bond review be revisited at a later time.
Haefs did not speak during the hearing. A case management conference is scheduled for mid-April. An order was entered in the court record Thursday for Haefs to undergo a mental health examination.
Haefs has been in custody since she was arrested at her home on the morning of Feb. 16. Her youngest son, Karvel Stevens, was found dead inside the house.
The discovery of the dead boy came after Kansas City police were dispatched shortly before midnight to the 7300 block of Indiana Ave. Officers were responding to a 911 call made by a woman who told them “the devil” was trying to attack her. Officers arrived and found blood leading up from the sidewalk to the front door.
Police forced entry into the home after an officer saw the severed head of a child in the house. Inside they found Haefs with apparent blood on her hands and feet. The dismembered body of Stevens was found in another room. A decapitated dog was also found in the basement.
Authorities have alleged that Haefs provided a detailed statement to police in which she admitted to killing the boy in the bathtub and decapitating him.
Haefs is from Sioux City, Iowa, and has lived in Kansas City for the past few years. Relatives from Iowa told The Star they were shocked to learn that Haefs was accused of the crime. They said she had struggled in the past with trauma and drug abuse, but remain mystified by the thought that she could kill her own child.
The Star’s Matti Gellman contributed to this report.
This story was originally published February 24, 2022 at 4:32 PM.
