Gavin Haight, Sienna Haight, Ammon Haight, Brilee Haight, Macie Haight
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CANDID ID: UT_23_1310
AGE
4   years
STATE
Utah
DATE OF DEATH
1/4/2023
DEATH RECORDS
Not Available
STATE REPORTS
Not Available
SUMMARY OF DEATH
On January 4, 2023, Michael Haight, 42, shot and killed his five children — 4-year-old Gavin, 7-year-old twins Sienna and Ammon, 12-year-old Brilee, and 17-year-old Macie — as well as his wife Tausha, 40, and her mother Gail Earl, 78, in their home in Enoch, Utah, before turning the gun on himself. Tausha had filed for divorce approximately two weeks prior to the killings. Records from Enoch Police and the Utah Division of Child and Family Services documented years of physical and emotional abuse by Michael, including allegations that he choked his oldest daughter Macie and threw his son on the ground. Four days before the killings, Michael searched the internet for whether neighbors could hear gunshots from a garage, indicating premeditation. The night before, he recorded conversations with his family in which he promised the children they would go sledding the next day. A neighbor reported hearing what sounded like fireworks at approximately 3:30 a.m.
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?

Both articles explicitly state that the children were shot and killed. The Deseret News article states: "On Jan. 4, Haight shot and killed his five children — 4-year-old Gavin, 7-year-old twins Sienna and Ammon, 12-year-old Brilee, and 17-year-old Macie." The People article similarly reports he "shot and killed his family."

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 Deseret News article states: "Records from Enoch Police and the Utah Division of Child and Family Services suggest Haight had abused his family, both physically and emotionally, for years — there are allegations that he choked his daughter, threw his son on the ground." The People article similarly reports: "police reports that alleged Michael had abused his children, once choking his oldest child Macie." Additionally, all five children were shot and killed by their father.

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?

Both articles describe this as a murder-suicide. The People article headline includes "Death of Utah Family of 8 Believed to Be a Murder-Suicide." The Deseret News article references the "Enoch murder-suicide" and states: "Haight then turned the gun on himself."

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?

Michael Haight was the biological father of the five children he killed. The People article describes the victims as "his five children" and the Deseret News article confirms "Haight shot and killed his five children." There is no indication these were step- or adopted children.

Was a biological mother involved in the death?

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)?

The Deseret News article states: "Records from Enoch Police and the Utah Division of Child and Family Services suggest Haight had abused his family, both physically and emotionally, for years — there are allegations that he choked his daughter, threw his son on the ground, berated his wife and controlled her behavior and finances." The existence of DCFS records indicates prior child protection reports were made. The People article also references "police reports that alleged Michael had abused his children."

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?

Is domestic violence by the parent/caregiver referenced?

Both articles extensively discuss domestic violence. The Deseret News article frames the entire case through the lens of domestic violence, quoting Kimmi Wolf from the Utah Domestic Violence Coalition and other advocates. The article describes Michael's controlling behavior, financial abuse, isolation tactics, and physical abuse. Tausha told Michael: "Our kids have mentioned, especially our older two, that when you're here it is more tense. We're not able to relax. We're still walking around on eggshells." The Deseret News states: "Records show Tausha Haight did reach out to advocates, and worried over how Michael would respond."

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?

Is a history of arrests or criminal charges for the parent/caregiver referenced?

Is substance use by the parent/caregiver referenced?

Notable Details

Several notable details emerge from the documents. The Deseret News reports that four days before the killings, Michael Haight conducted internet searches including "Would a neighbor hear a gunshot in a garage?" and "If you hear a single gunshot in your neighborhood at night would you immediately recognize it as such?" — strong evidence of premeditation. Tausha had filed for divorce just two weeks before the shootings and had reached out to domestic violence advocates, with records showing she "worried over how Michael would respond." A neighbor reported hearing "what sounded like fireworks, but in the cadence of gunshots, at about 3:30 a.m." — within approximately eight hours of Michael recording the family videos. The recordings themselves were largely secretly taken from Michael's lap, and DV advocates analyzed them as evidence of narrative control and manipulation, noting he was "cherry pick[ing] what he was recording to make it sound like he was being picked on." The case highlights systemic issues around domestic violence safety planning; advocates emphasized the importance of believing victims and creating safety plans, as the perpetrator's public persona as a "nice, unassuming father" may have undermined Tausha's credibility.

These fields were populated by an AI model and may contain inaccuracies. Review the links and PDFs provided for verification before citing. Contact [email protected] to report any inaccuracies where corrections are needed.
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