New toxicology findings show several medications in 11-year-old Addilyn Smith’s system, while authorities have not announced a confirmed motive.
LAS VEGAS — Newly released Clark County coroner records provide new details about the February death of 11-year-old Utah cheerleader Addilyn “Addi” Smith, who police say was killed by her mother in a Rio Hotel & Casino room before the woman died by suicide.
The reports, released months after Addilyn and 34-year-old Tawnia McGeehan were found dead Feb. 15, document toxicology findings, medications recovered from the hotel room and handwritten notes found during the investigation. The records add information about the final hours of the mother and daughter but do not establish a publicly confirmed motive. Las Vegas Metropolitan Police had already said evidence showed McGeehan killed her daughter before killing herself.
The Clark County Office of the Coroner/Medical Examiner determined that both died from gunshot wounds. Addilyn’s manner of death was classified as homicide, while McGeehan’s was classified as suicide. The findings formally confirm conclusions police announced shortly after the deaths, when homicide detectives said preliminary evidence at the scene indicated the mother had shot her daughter and then herself.
Toxicology testing detected several medications in Addilyn’s blood, including quetiapine, diphenhydramine, gabapentin and lorazepam, according to reports obtained by news organizations. A handwritten note found in the room indicated that the girl had been heavily medicated. Investigators also documented prescription medication containers, over-the-counter sleep aids and cannabis products in the room. The reports do not establish from the toxicology findings alone why the substances were present or who administered them.
Addilyn and McGeehan had traveled from Utah to Las Vegas for a cheerleading competition. Addilyn was a member of Utah Xtreme Cheer and was expected to participate during the trip. Concern grew when the mother and daughter did not appear as expected and family members, coaches and others were unable to reach them.
Las Vegas police said the department received a request for a welfare check at about 10:43 a.m. Feb. 15 for a mother and daughter staying in the 3700 block of West Flamingo Road. Officers and hotel security went to the room, knocked on the door and called inside several times but received no response. Police said the information available at that point did not give officers reason to believe either person was in immediate danger, and officers cleared the call.
Hotel security continued receiving requests to check on the pair during the day. At about 2:27 p.m., security personnel decided to enter the room and found both unresponsive, according to police. Emergency personnel were called, and the mother and daughter were pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators later documented a handwritten warning near the entrance directing anyone entering the room to contact emergency services, along with additional notes inside.
The coroner records also refer to information from McGeehan’s family about a history of severe depression and past suicidal thoughts. The reports and Utah court records describe a long-running custody dispute involving Addilyn’s parents. Public records reviewed by Utah and Las Vegas news organizations show years of litigation over custody and visitation, including a joint-custody arrangement reached in 2024. Authorities, however, have not publicly identified the custody dispute, McGeehan’s mental health history or any other factor as the definitive motive for the killing.
Addilyn’s cheerleading community mourned her after the deaths became public. Utah Xtreme Cheer said the 11-year-old was deeply loved and would remain part of the organization’s community. The case drew wider attention after recordings and reports showed that Addilyn’s father and members of her cheer program had sought help when the mother and daughter could not be contacted on the morning of the competition.
The September coroner records provide the most detailed official account yet of the medical findings and evidence documented inside the hotel room. They do not resolve why the killing occurred. As of Sept. 18, Las Vegas police have not announced a different conclusion about the deaths or a publicly confirmed motive, and Addilyn’s death remains classified as a homicide while McGeehan’s remains classified as a suicide.
Author note: Last updated September 18, 2026.