Mckenley Yadon, also known as Mckenley Stout. Photo: Uintah County. Map: Google Maps
VERNAL, Utah, May 26, 2019 (Gephardt Daily) – Vernal police have confirmed the identity of a 3-year-old girl who died of suffocation in March. Her stepmother confessed to the murder, indictment documents say.
At a press conference on Sunday morning, Vernal City Assistant Police Chief Keith Campbell was asked to confirm the child’s name from her obituary; The late little girl was identified as Arianna Rose Stout.
Court documents state that 23-year-old Mckenley Jordan Yadon – who goes by the name Mckenley Stout but did not legally change her name after getting married – told a spring police officer that she put her hands and a blanket over her stepdaughter’s face and kept the pressure on until the girl stopped fighting, the probable cause statement said.
“At 11:46 pm on March 14th of that year, Vernal Police officers were called to the crime scene at 1536 W. 300 South because of a report of an unresponsive child.”
The toddler, identified as AS on court records, was not breathing, felt cold, and showed signs of suffocation, including dark purple bruises. She was pronounced dead at the Ashley Regional Medical Center at 12:45 p.m.
The probable cause statement filed by a Vernal Police Department officer said Yadon and Arianna’s little brother were the only ones in the house when the toddler sustained the fatal injuries.
An autopsy was performed on March 15. The district court determined the type of death as homicide and as the cause of death “suffocation by suffocation”.
“After Miranda’s warning, Mckenley admitted to causing AS’s death,” the probable cause statement said.
The statement said Yadon / Stout admitted to suffocating the child with a blanket, adding that she told investigators that she planned and thought about the act two or three days before March 14, 2019 .
Yadon / Stout was admitted to the Utah County Jail on suspicion:
- Murder, a crime of the first degree
- Child abuse – willful assault, a second degree crime
She is being held without bail, court records say.
Campbell said Yadon / Stout had been interviewed extensively but some details will not be released “to preserve a jury pool for the future when the case actually goes to court”. He said officials must weigh disclosure of information with the “potential to spoil a jury pool.”
“I know it’s frustrating for some, but we’re trying to eliminate a lot of the details and keep it a process so that basically a person doesn’t end up on trial in public,” said Campbell.
An unpublished detail was a motive for the murder that Yadon / Stout revealed to officers, he said.
Campbell said he believed Yadon / Stout had been the child’s stepmother for several years. He added that the Department of Child and Family Services was brought in after law enforcement activities on March 14 and remains involved in the case.
He didn’t confirm how many siblings Arianna has.
“Precautions have been taken to ensure that all other children are kept in a safe environment during the investigation,” Campbell said.
The toddler’s obituary states that she has a sister and a brother.
Campbell said Yadon / Stout will likely appear in court for the first time on Tuesday.
Arianna’s obituary reads in part:
Arianna Rose Stout passed away shortly before her 4th birthday. During her short time here on earth, she touched many lives and was loved by all who met her.
Arianna was born on May 19th, 2015, with the most beautiful smile and bright red hair, our beloved shining, always smiling and giggling, playful, light of our life and the star of our hearts, happy girl, she loved her family and animals.
Her dad and uncle Daniel made her play in the dirt and ride four-wheelers while tucking me in a dress at the same time, let’s play tea party (girls).
Arianna joins her mother Jessica Ortega and great-grandparents Martha and Harry Keser.
Mckenley Yadon, also known as McKenley Stout. Photo: Uintah County
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