New Mexico – In a shocking and heartbreaking case that has drawn attention across states, a 35‑year‑old mother, identified as M. Daly, now faces first‑degree murder and abandonment of a child resulting in death charges after she fatally shot her own 11‑month‑old son in the face during a standoff with police. Authorities allege that Daly committed the killing in an effort to keep the child from being placed in the custody of his father, whom she disparaged as a “deadbeat dad.”
Jail records show that Daly was arrested on December 23 in New Mexico and remains in custody as her case moves through the court system. Prosecutors allege that her actions were deliberate and motivated by her desire to prevent the boy’s father, identified as J. Stoner, from gaining custody. According to a GoFundMe posted on behalf of Stoner, the death of the infant marked the tragic end of a nearly year‑long saga. Stoner and Daly had been in a relationship until July 2024, when Daly allegedly “went on the run and tried to keep the location of where she was and where the baby was going to be born a secret.”
In the months leading up to the boy’s birth on January 8, 2025, Daly reportedly sent sporadic messages to Stoner telling him he would “never be a part of his child’s life.” While she later settled in a small town in Wyoming to finish her pregnancy, Stoner managed to reconcile with her enough to be present for the baby’s birth. However, the brief return to cooperation soon dissolved. Daly allegedly “refused to discuss the name of the child or even allow for the last name of Stoner to be placed on the birth certificate.” As her resistance continued, Stoner turned to the courts to assert his parental rights, according to reports.
Following a trial in Wyoming last fall, a judge awarded shared custody of the infant to Stoner. The GoFundMe said he “was going to rapidly work to a schedule where he would have his son basically half of the time,” and that his early visits “went wonderfully.” Nonetheless, Daly continued to block the father’s involvement. Stoner eventually received a text from her that called him a “deadbeat dad,” told him she was having the child start calling someone else daddy, and said, “awww you snitched.” When Daly failed to appear in court for a visitation hearing in October, Stoner was given temporary emergency custody — and would never see his son again.
Believed to have fled first to another city in Wyoming, then south through Colorado, Daly eventually reached New Mexico. By then, Stoner had hired a private investigator to help locate his son. A warrant was issued for Daly’s arrest, but an Amber Alert was not issued — authorities reportedly cited a lack of evidence of “immediate, present danger to the child.” An anonymous tip eventually alerted law enforcement to Daly’s location in an RV park in New Mexico. Deputies from the sheriff’s office responded and found Daly hiding inside an RV with her young son. As deputies attempted to negotiate with her, Daly grabbed a 9 mm gun, pointed it at her son’s face, and fired. The shot killed the 11-month-old instantly. Law enforcement then detained her and took her into custody.
Daly reportedly remained adamant about keeping her son away from his father and the rest of the Stoner family. According to court documents obtained by the Wyoming‑based newspaper, she claimed her son would have been in danger if “she would have stepped out of that trailer” and insisted Stoner “never wanted anything to do with the boy, financially, physically, emotionally ever.” She allegedly said she ran into the RV with her son because she “knew her time was up” — a chilling statement to investigators.
At a hearing, M. Abramson of the District Attorney’s Office emphasized her flight risk, noting that she had already escaped the reach of law enforcement once before. “A mother absconded with her child from Wyoming, traveled around — we’re not sure where — but ended up here being confronted by law enforcement and chose to murder her child, her own child, with a 9 mm gun to the face,” he said.
While Daly remains detained as her case proceeds through the legal system, Stoner, has become an advocate for change. In the wake of his son’s death, he is pushing for Amber Alerts to require “less stringent standards.” The GoFundMe states that Stoner believes “if the laws are changed to allow for an Amber Alert to be issued with less stringent standards, his son would be alive and safe.” The community reaction has been one of shock and sorrow, as law enforcement and legal officials continue to review the tragic case of a young child’s life cut short in a desperate attempt to keep him from the father the mother believed unfit. As the case moves forward, both legal and emotional battles remain for those left behind.
