Kansas City mother accused of decapitating son and dog, found unfit for trial

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A Kansas City woman accused of decapitating her 6-year-old son has been found mentally unfit to stand trial.

Editor’s note: The below information is from a legal document and is graphic. Readers are advised to use their own discretion.

The Kansas City Star reported that a judge last week placed 35-year-old Tasha Haefs in the custody of the Missouri Department of Mental Health after finding her incompetent to stand trial. Haefs had been charged with first-degree murder in the killing of Karvel Stevens.

Police received a call on a Tuesday night in February from a woman saying she was concerned someone was trying to harm her. The woman told police she believed the devil was trying to attack her. She denied having any mental illness and hung up the phone, officials said.

Police then went to the home for a welfare check and found blood leading up to the front door. Officers could hear a woman singing inside of the residence. As they knocked, the woman sang even louder.

One officer looked inside the house and saw the child’s severed head.

Police forced their way through the home’s back door. They found the woman, identified as 35-year-old Tasha Haefs, with blood on her legs and feet. Beyond the kitchen, officers located the body of the decapitated child.

Police said they also found a decapitated dog in the basement.

According to the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office, Haefs told detectives that the victim was her biological child and itted to killing him.

Haefs’ family say she had struggled for years with drug addiction, depression, severe trauma and hallucinations.

A message seeking comment was left Wednesday for Haefs’ public defender.

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