Jackson County prosecutor calls on community after mom charged in grisly killing of 6-year-old son

NOTE: This story contains disturbing details about a child’s death. Read with discretion.

KANSAS CITY, Missouri — After a child was found  killed in a brutal fashion, a Jackson County, Missouri prosecutor said the violent death is “a call for something more,” and said her community must heed the call.

“Strong collaborations are needed to lean into this difficult challenge, and better protect our community’s most vulnerable population, our kids,” wrote Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.

In a statement, she said it is difficult to imagine the grief of the 6-year-old boy’s family, friends, classmates and those who responded to the scene of the grisly killing.

“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,” Baker wrote.

Baker’s office announced the child’s mother, 35-year-old Tasha Haefs was charged with first-degree murder for the death.

Police responded to a house after, according to KCTV, a woman called police claiming the devil was trying to attack her before she hung up.

Court documents said officers responding to the call found blood on the front steps and front door of the home. The Kansas City Star reports that officers could hear a woman singing and the singing got louder when they knocked on the door of the home.

Police forced entry into the home when an officer spotted a child’s severed head inside. Inside police found Haefs with blood on her hands and feet and blood throughout the home. They located the child’s body.

No other children were found in the home but a decapitated dog was located in the home’s basement. Haefs was taken into custody and search warrant was served Wednesday to collect DNA evidence from her, to compare with evidence at the crime scene.

A 35-year-old Missouri woman has been charged with murder following the gruesome death of her 6-year-old son. https://t.co/7A17B3XyCu

— WETM-TV (@WETM18News) February 17, 2022

Police said Haefs told them the victim was her son and admitted that she killed him in a bathtub.

Baker said the terrible details of the death “takes our breath away.” She said her office would seek justice and said the suspect is in custody on a “no bond” detention but also said “it can’t stop there.”

A search warrant served Wednesday morning collected DNA from the mother to compare with other evidence discovered at the crime scene. https://t.co/VXlQG6grLW

— The Kansas City Star (@KCStar) February 16, 2022

Baker said that in addition to efforts law enforcement, prosecutors, social service providers and “all of our many partners” the community must heed the call to action.

Baker wrote:

“Let’s also focus, Kansas City, on the violence among us. It’s a challenge we can no longer ignore. We cannot become complacent with 180 or 170 or even 150 homicides per year and hundreds more shot but not killed. We’ve seen the horror that can occur when we don’t work together to help our community members avoid a future of violence.”

She stated a clear goal of reducing the community’s violence and to “alert mental health professionals whenever we are aware of someone in need of intervention.”