“She was kind of that positive influence that the team needed always willing to be a leader,” the gym owner said, as the 11-year-old was supposed to be competing in Las Vegas before a missed appearance and a hotel room door changed everything.
What began as a missed cheer competition has now become a case sending shockwaves from Utah to Nevada and raising painful questions in its wake.
The woman and her daughter traveled to Las Vegas for a cheer competition over the weekend. When the pair failed to arrive, alarm bells rang. According to ABC4, Utah Xtreme Cheer reported them missing on Sunday morning, February 15, 2026, after they did not show up for the event.
Illuminated hotel sign. | Source: Getty Images
What Police Found
Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department officers responded to a welfare check at the Rio Hotel and Casino around 10:45 a.m. on Sunday.
Police knocked repeatedly and called out to the mother and daughter, but there was no response, Lt. Robert Price said during a press conference.
After officers cleared the scene, hotel security continued receiving urgent calls from concerned family and friends. Eventually, security entered the room.
Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department parked on the street. | Source: Getty Images
Inside, they discovered a woman in her mid-30s and a preteen girl deceased.
UXC Coaches identified the deceased as Tawnia McGeehan and her 11-year-old daughter, Addi Smith. Police believe the deaths were an apparent murder-suicide, according to ABC4.
“This is a sad and tragic incident, and our hearts go out to the family,” police reportedly said during the press conference. The investigation remains ongoing.
Why the Loss Is Hitting So Hard
Addi wasn’t just another athlete. In an emotional interview cited by ABC4, Utah Xtreme Cheer gym owner Kory Uyetake described her as the team’s spark.
Addi “was kind of a hype man on the team, she was always the person to get up there and get the kids pumped up when things weren’t really going their way.”
“She was an athlete that just embodied everything that we that we [sic] strive to have and we strive to do and teach our kids at my gym.”
The cheer organization later shared a heartbreaking tribute on Instagram, writing, “With the heaviest hearts, we share the devastating news that our sweet athlete Addi has passed away.”
“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,” the post read on.
It added, “Please keep her family in your thoughts and prayers and continue to send them love as they navigate this unimaginable loss.”
“We ask that you respect their privacy during this time. Addi, we love you tremendously ❤️,” the post concluded.
The Custody Battle Behind the Scenes
As investigators work to piece together what happened inside the hotel room, court documents have revealed a nearly decade-long custody dispute between Tawnia and Addi’s father, Bradley Smith.
According to court records reported by TMZ, the former couple’s legal battle began after Tawnia filed for divorce in 2015. Temporary orders initially granted Tawnia primary residence for Addi, with Bradley receiving parent time and joint custody.
In 2020, however, a temporary order accused Tawnia of subjecting Addi to “behavior on the spectrum of parental alienation.” The documents also alleged that domestic abuse occurred in front of the child.
That same year, Bradley was awarded temporary sole custody after reportedly demonstrating “a better understanding of the child’s needs.” In 2021, Tawnia filed a temporary restraining order, alleging Addi’s stepmother was recording her during custody exchanges.
The custody exchanges themselves were tightly regulated, according to court documents cited by ABC4. Initially conducted at Addi’s school, they were later required to take place at a police station when school was not in session. The divorce decree was finalized and signed by a judge in 2024.
In the end, Tawnia and Bradley were awarded joint legal and physical custody on a one-week-on, one-week-off schedule in 2024, according to TMZ. Multiple accusations of custodial interference against Tawnia were later dismissed, TMZ reported.
The Family’s Response: ‘An Unimaginable Loss’
As the legal history comes to light, the Smith family’s focus remains on Addi. A GoFundMe campaign organized by Greg Smith, Bradley’s brother, has raised $24,818 toward its $45,000 goal to help cover funeral expenses and support the family.
“My brother Brad is facing an unimaginable loss after his daughter Addi was tragically taken from our family. This heartbreaking event has left the family in deep shock and grief, struggling to come to terms with the sudden loss of Addi in such a way,” Greg wrote on the page.