A year after she was brutally killed, investigators charged a Wyoming man this week with the murder of a 10-month-old girl.
John D. Haney was detained on first-degree murder and aggravated child abuse charges in connection to the death of his girlfriend’s daughter. He remains in custody after his bond was set at $1 million cash.
Investigators reviewed the child’s autopsy reports in December 2025 and concluded that the child died of asphyxiation, or a lack of oxygen, according to the detective’s affidavit viewed by Oil City News. Additionally, the manner of death was listed as a “homicide.”
Haney, 41, reportedly called 911 on March 26, 2025, to report that the child was not breathing. First responders arrived at the scene and began to perform CPR, though they quickly noticed the child’s extremities were already cold.
The child was transported to Cheyenne Regional Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead less than two hours later.
X-rays were taken of the child, which revealed fractures in one arm and both legs. The injuries were not the child’s cause of death, though doctors told detectives that they were “highly concerning” and suggested the child had been abused.
While speaking to investigators, Haney said that the child had been fussy when he put her down for a nap. He then said he went to the bathroom and was gone for about 10 minutes before he returned to the bedroom and found her unresponsive.
Detectives later reviewed security camera footage that was taken both inside and outside of Haney’s home, which was set up to record clips after motion is detected.
By watching the footage, investigators learned that two clips from the day of the incident had been deleted and were unable to be recovered.
Footage around the time of the incident reportedly showed Haney standing in the doorway of the bathroom before it abruptly cut off. Officials said that there is no footage that showed him leaving the bathroom.
Approximately 30 minutes before the 911 call was made, the camera started filming in the living room after the dog activated the camera. The camera caught a sound “that is believed to be a scream from [the child],” according to the affidavit.
It is not currently clear if Haney has entered a plea or retained legal representation following his arrest. The Laramie County Sheriff’s Office did not immediately respond to Luxury Handbag Shopping’s request for comment regarding the case.
If you suspect child abuse, please call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or visit ChildHelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential, and the hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
