Gavin Haight, Sienna Haight, Ammon Haight, Brilee Haight, Macie Haight
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CANDID ID: UT_23_1314
AGE
17   years
STATE
Utah
DATE OF DEATH
1/4/2023
DEATH RECORDS
Not Available
STATE REPORTS
Not Available
SUMMARY OF DEATH
On January 4, 2023, in Enoch, Utah, 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 Haight, 40, and her mother Gail Earl, 78, before turning the gun on himself. The killings occurred in the early morning hours, with a neighbor reporting hearing sounds resembling gunshots at approximately 3:30 a.m. Tausha had filed for divorce about a week before the murders. The family had a documented history of domestic violence, including allegations of physical and emotional abuse reported to both Enoch Police and DCFS. In the days before the killings, Michael had searched the internet for information about whether neighbors could hear gunshots. He left a handwritten suicide note blaming Tausha for their marital problems. The bodies were discovered on January 4 after concerned individuals contacted police to request welfare checks when family members missed appointments.
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?

All three documents describe the deaths as resulting from gunshot wounds. The Fox13 article states officers discovered "several deceased individuals with gunshot wounds." The Deseret News article states: "On Jan. 4, Haight shot and killed his five children." Internet searches about the audibility of "9mm and .40 caliber gunshots" are also mentioned.

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: "there are allegations that he choked his daughter, threw his son on the ground, berated his wife and controlled her behavior and finances." The People article corroborates: "police reports that alleged Michael had abused his children, once choking his oldest child Macie." Additionally, all five children were shot and killed, which constitutes inflicted injury by gunshot.

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?

The Fox13 article states: "Her husband, Michael Haight, killed himself after killing the other seven, according to police." The Deseret News article describes the event as a "murder-suicide" in its URL and headline, and states: "Haight then turned the gun on himself." All three documents describe this as a murder-suicide.

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 all five children he 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." Multiple documents identify Michael and Tausha as the parents of these 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 Fox13 article contains a reference to a prior report: "New report shows DCFS received complaints just weeks before Haight murders." 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." These demonstrate a history of child protection involvement prior to the deaths.

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?

Domestic violence is a central theme across all three documents. The Deseret News article extensively discusses the abusive dynamics in the Haight household, including quotes from domestic violence advocates analyzing the case. It 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 Fox13 article provides domestic violence resources. Tausha had filed for divorce, and in recordings she describes walking on eggshells and not feeling safe.

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?

Michael Haight's suicide is itself a mental health event. His suicide note reveals his mental state: "I would rather rot in hell than to put up with one more day of this manipulation and control over me... I can't handle it for one more day." The Fox13 article also provides suicide and crisis lifeline resources, and mentions Cedar City Mental Health having a dedicated webpage for those impacted. While no formal mental health diagnosis is stated, the suicide and the expressed distress in the note reference his deteriorating mental health.

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 systemic and contextual details emerge from the documents. First, the Fox13 article notes that "DCFS received complaints just weeks before Haight murders," indicating a child welfare system failure to intervene in time. Second, the Deseret News article reports that "Records show Tausha Haight did reach out to advocates, and worried over how Michael would respond," underscoring safety planning inadequacies. Third, Michael Haight demonstrated clear premeditation by Googling questions like "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?" days before the killings. Fourth, the case illustrates how abusers can manipulate community perception — the Deseret News reports: "Neighbors say he was a nice, unassuming father who they never suspected was capable of murdering his family." Advocates stressed the importance of believing victims and safety planning, noting this case highlights how domestic violence can present differently than commonly perceived.

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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