🚨💔 TRAGIC UPDATE: Las Vegas Police Confirm Cause of Death for Mom and Cheerleader Daughter Found in Hotel Room

A heartbreaking and devastating TRAGIC UPDATE has emerged in the case that has gripped the nation: authorities have now officially confirmed the cause of death for Tawnia McGeehan, the 38-year-old Utah cheer mom, and her 11-year-old daughter Addi Smith, whose bodies were discovered in a Las Vegas hotel room during what should have been a joyful cheer competition weekend 💔😢.

The Clark County Coroner’s Office ruled Tawnia McGeehan’s death a suicide by gunshot wound to the head, while homicide detectives from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) determined she fatally shot her beloved daughter Addi before turning the gun on herself. Both were pronounced dead at the scene in their room at the Rio Hotel & Casino, off the iconic Las Vegas Strip. A note was discovered alongside the bodies, though its contents remain undisclosed to the public and even the grieving family, leaving many questions unanswered as the investigation continues.

This confirmation comes amid shocking revelations about the intense pressures Tawnia faced in the days leading up to the tragedy. Sources close to the family, including her mother Connie McGeehan, revealed that Tawnia had been bombarded with vicious “mean texts” from one or two other moms on the Utah Xtreme Cheer (UXC) team. The harassment escalated about a month prior during another competition, when a girl on the squad was accidentally dropped during a stunt—blame unfairly shifted to young Addi, sparking cruel messages that attacked not just the child but Tawnia’s parenting and involvement. A heated confrontation reportedly unfolded in the team waiting room just a day before the fatal incident, adding fuel to an already volatile emotional fire 😡📱.

Tawnia and Addi had traveled to Las Vegas for Addi’s first season with UXC, a competitive cheer program where the energetic pre-teen thrived. Addi was described by her coach and team owner, Kory Uyetake, as a radiant talent who was always the first to arrive at practice, flipping with effortless grace and beaming with joy. “She was a beautiful girl and she didn’t deserve this,” Uyetake said, his words echoing the profound sorrow felt across the cheer community. Cheer wasn’t just a hobby for this mother-daughter duo—it was their shared passion, their world of routines, triumphs, and unbreakable bond. They were inseparable, often seen together at early-morning sessions, competitions, and family gatherings.

Yet beneath the pom-poms and proud posts lay layers of pain. Tawnia had battled depression for years, a silent struggle her family knew well. In 2024, she emerged victorious from a brutal nine-year custody battle with Addi’s father, Brad Smith. Court records from Utah County detail a contentious divorce finalized in 2017 after proceedings began in 2015, marked by multiple modifications to custody arrangements. In late 2020, a judge temporarily awarded sole physical custody to Brad amid allegations involving Tawnia’s behavior, including claims of parental alienation and incidents of domestic violence in front of the child. By May 2024, however, the court shifted to joint legal and physical custody with a week-on, week-off schedule—seemingly a hard-won peace that allowed Tawnia to focus on rebuilding her life with Addi in their large family home in West Jordan, shared with Connie and other relatives.

Friends and family believed Tawnia was finally turning a corner. She hosted cheer moms at home, crafted handmade gifts for the team, bought new outfits for the trip, and shared upbeat social media posts. Early Sunday morning—around 5 a.m.—she uploaded photos of Addi practicing backflips in their hotel room, full of energy and excitement for the day’s events. But Connie noticed something unsettling in one family snapshot: “They just looked like they were happy but then there was one pic of Addi and Tawnia together and I thought something doesn’t look right. The look was off, something had happened.” In retrospect, that fleeting expression may have captured a moment of spiraling despair that no one outside could fully grasp.

The weekend unraveled tragically. When Addi and Tawnia failed to appear at the competition Sunday morning, alarm spread quickly. Family members, including Addi’s stepmom McKennly Smith, posted desperate missing persons pleas online: “My daughter Addi and her mom [are] missing please share post and call or text with any information thank you!” The cheer team contacted authorities, prompting a welfare check at approximately 10:45 a.m. LVMPD officers and hotel security knocked repeatedly, called out, but received no response. Believing there was no immediate danger, they cleared the scene. Nearly four agonizing hours later—around 2:30 p.m.—after persistent calls from worried loved ones, security returned, forced entry, and made the horrific discovery. Both victims had apparent gunshot wounds; they were pronounced dead on site.

The gun, investigators learned, had been purchased by Tawnia more than a year earlier—unknown even to her closest family members. She carried it across state lines to Las Vegas, a detail that has left relatives stunned and questioning missed warning signs. Connie emphasized that no one suspected Tawnia was capable of such an act. “Cheer was her and Addi’s life. I think something happened the day before [they died] that made her spiral,” she told reporters, tears flowing. The cumulative weight—of mean texts, lingering custody scars, depression’s grip, and the high-stakes pressure of competitive cheer—may have proven too much in that isolated hotel room.

The cheer world has been rocked to its core. Utah Xtreme Cheer released a gut-wrenching statement: “We are completely heartbroken. No words do the situation justice. She was so beyond loved, and she will always be a part of the UXC family.” Tributes poured in from Utah Fusion All-Stars and beyond, remembering Addi as a cherished, bubbly spirit whose laughter and flips brightened every mat. Online, strangers shared disbelief and sorrow: “That poor sweet girl,” “Hug your kids tighter tonight,” and calls for kindness in youth sports communities where competition can breed toxicity.

This case exposes harsh realities in the world of competitive cheer: the intense scrutiny, parent rivalries, and unspoken mental health battles that can simmer beneath polished routines. Bullying among adults—through texts, blame, and confrontations—can devastate vulnerable individuals already carrying heavy burdens. Tawnia’s lifelong depression, the residue of a decade-long legal war, and the cheer circuit’s demands created a storm few saw coming. Yet nothing excuses the unimaginable loss of an innocent child. Addi Smith was a happy, talented girl with dreams ahead—her life stolen in a moment of profound despair.

The broader message hits hard: mental health crises hide behind smiles, posts, and “everything’s fine” facades. Signs—like an “off” look in a photo or withdrawal—can be subtle cries for help. In tight-knit, high-pressure environments like cheer, words from peers (even adults) wound deeply and can tip someone over the edge.

Rest in peace, beautiful Addi Smith and Tawnia McGeehan. Your story has shattered hearts nationwide, serving as a stark reminder to check on loved ones, foster compassion over competition, and never ignore silent struggles 🕊️❤️. If you or someone you know is in crisis, reach out immediately—call or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Help exists, and you are never truly alone.

This tragic update, drawn from police statements, coroner’s rulings, family interviews, and court records reported across outlets like the New York Post, KUTV, Fox News, and local Las Vegas sources, underscores how quickly lives can unravel. May it inspire greater awareness, empathy, and support in communities everywhere—because no family should endure this pain.