On or around February 15-16, 2022, six-year-old Karvel Stevens was killed by his biological mother, Tasha Haefs, at their home in the 7300 block of Indiana in Kansas City, Missouri. Haefs called police saying she believed the devil was trying to attack her, then hung up. When officers arrived for a welfare check, they found blood on the front steps and door and could hear Haefs singing inside, growing louder as they knocked. After seeing the child's decapitated head through a window, officers forced entry through the back door. Inside, they found Haefs with blood on her body, the child's body near the front door, multiple bloodied knives, and a decapitated dog in the basement. Haefs admitted to killing her son in the bathtub. The medical examiner determined the cause of death was multiple sharp force injuries, ruled a homicide. Haefs, who had a documented history of drug addiction, depression, severe trauma, and hallucinations, was charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action. She was initially found mentally unfit to stand trial in June 2022, was later deemed competent in early 2024, and ultimately pleaded not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect in October 2024.
Contexts/Conditions
Is there any mention of child drug ingestion or overdose?
Is there any mention of a drowning incident (either intentional or accidental)?
Is there any mention of a firearm incident?
Is there any mention of inappropriate supervision (e.g., child wandered off and drowned)?
Is there any mention of inflicted injury? (e.g. slapped, punched, kicked, choked)
The medical examiner report (MO_22_2317.pdf) lists the cause of death as "Multiple sharp force injuries." Multiple news articles describe the child being decapitated. The USA Today article states that "Haefs is accused of decapitating her son, Karvel Stevens, in a bathtub" and that officers found "two knives with apparent blood on them" in the home. The KAKE article reports Haefs "admitted that the child, 6-year-old Karvel Stevens, was biologically hers and she had killed him."
Is there any mention of malnutrition, starvation, or dehydration?
Is there any mention of medical neglect?
Is there any mention of a motor vehicle crash or incident?
Is there any mention of a murder-suicide incident?
Is there any mention of outdoor elements (including hot car deaths)?
Is there any mention of prenatal substance exposure (including fetal alcohol syndrome or neonatal abstinence syndrome)?
Is there any mention of sexual abuse?
Is there any specific mention of shaken baby or abusive head trauma?
Is there any mention of prolonged abuse or torture (including restraints, captivity)?
Is there any mention of an unsafe sleeping environment?
Individuals Involved
Was an adoptive parent or guardian involved in the death?
Was a biological father involved in the death?
Was a biological mother involved in the death?
Multiple sources confirm Tasha Haefs was the biological mother who killed Karvel Stevens. The KAKE article states: "Haefs admitted that the child, 6-year-old Karvel Stevens, was biologically hers and she had killed him." The KOLD article describes her as Karvel's mother who "allegedly decapitated her 6-year-old son." The USA Today article states: "Haefs identified her biological son as the victim and admitted to killing him in the bathtub."
Was a day care worker, babysitter, or nanny involved in the death?
Was a female paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., girlfriend, stepmother)?
Was a foster parent involved in the death?
Was a male paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., boyfriend, stepfather)?
Was another adult relative involved in the death? (e.g., grandfather, aunt)
Was a sibling involved in the death?
Child Characteristics
Was the child adopted?
Was the child homeschooled (including "cyberschooling") or taken out of school?
Was the child in foster care at the time of the incident?
Was the child living with relatives at the time of the incident (but not parents)?
Is there any mention of a neurological developmental child disability? (e.g., autism, intellectual disability, nonverbal)
Is there any mention of a physical child disability? (e.g., feeding tube)
Is there any mention of prematurity or low birthweight?
Is there a history of child protection reports prior to death (for this child or siblings)?
Does the child have a history of foster care (but not in care at time of incident)?
Is there a history of a sibling death (separate incident from this death)?
Parent/Caregiver Factors
Was an adult charged or arrested for the child's death?
Multiple sources confirm Tasha Haefs was charged and arrested. The USA Today article states: "Haefs was arrested on February 15, 2022, and charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action." The KOLD article confirms: "A warrant was issued for Haefs' arrest in February 2022 after she allegedly decapitated her 6-year-old son, Karvel Stevens. She was later charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action."
Is domestic violence by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is there any mention that the death occurred in a temporary shelter or while homeless?
Is an intellectual disability of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is the mental health of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Multiple sources extensively reference Haefs' mental health. The KOLD article states she had "struggled with drug addiction, depression, severe trauma and hallucinations." The KAKE article reports she was "placed in the custody of the Missouri Department of Mental Health where she reportedly refused to take her medications or cooperate with her treatment plan." She was initially ruled "mentally unfit to stand trial" in June 2022. The KSHB article notes Haefs pleaded "not guilty due to mental disease or defect" and that she would "remain in inpatient mental health care." The KAKE article also reports that she called police before the incident "saying she was concerned someone was trying to harm her" and "believed the devil was trying to attack her." In August 2023, she "began yelling and cussing during her hearing, calling the judge and other people in the court 'demented monsters.'"
Is a history of arrests or criminal charges for the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is substance use by the parent/caregiver referenced?
The KOLD article states: "She had previously struggled with drug addiction, depression, severe trauma and hallucinations." The KAKE article similarly reports: "Haefs' family members [said] she had struggled for years with drug addiction, depression, severe trauma and hallucinations." While no specific substance is named, drug addiction is explicitly referenced as part of the caregiver's history.
Notable Details
Several substantive details not covered by the preceding questions are present. First, Haefs herself called police before the crime was discovered, telling dispatchers "the devil was trying to attack her" (KAKE article). Second, a decapitated dog was also found in the basement, indicating additional animal killing (KOLD article). Third, the USA Today article notes the home was "known to have multiple children inside of it," raising questions about the safety of other children in the household. Fourth, the legal proceedings were notably prolonged: Haefs was ruled mentally unfit in June 2022, was placed in Department of Mental Health custody where she "refused to take her medications or cooperate with her treatment plan" (KAKE article), was removed from court in August 2023 for "yelling and cussing during her hearing, calling the judge and other people in the court 'demented monsters'" (KAKE article), and was not deemed competent until March 2024. She ultimately pleaded not guilty due to mental disease or defect in October 2024 (KSHB article) and will remain in mental health care indefinitely.
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