An Alabama woman is facing murder charges after the officers allegedly found her two-year-old daughter bound face down on a bed inside their home. According to investigators, the child, later identified as Madilyn Hadaway, died of asphyxiation after allegedly being restrained in that position for nearly 12 hours.
The Chambers County Sheriff’s Office announced on Facebook that the accused, Sierra Hadaway, 22, was arrested. A man connected to the case, Christian Myles Sturkie, died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound two days after the child’s death. It is unknown what his role was in the alleged murder.
This needs to be a death penalty case
— Monique (@Qmonique4) July 19, 2026
The Chambers County Sheriff’s Office released a statement on the case, as reported by The Mirror US. It read, “This case remains under investigation by the Chambers County Sheriff’s Office, the 5th Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office, and the Alabama Department of Forensic Science.”
Authorities responded at the Hadaway residence after receiving a distress call. Deputies administered lifesaving measures until paramedics arrived at the scene.
Madilyn was rushed to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Her mother, Sierra Hadaway, is being held with no bond issued so far. A post on Hadaway’s Facebook account includes an obituary for her daughter, which reads, “Her bright smile, curious spirit, and joyful heart brought life to everyone who knew her. She had a special way of bringing joy to those around her, and her sweet presence made every day brighter. She taught those around her the purest meaning of love.”
That beautiful baby! There’s nothing bad enough to fit the crime! Jesus is more forgiving than me so she may want to get right with him because if it were up to me there would be a reservation in the hottest part of hell with her name all over it.
— Angela (@AngelaYarb16959) July 20, 2026
Reactions online to the case have been overwhelmingly critical of the accused, with many calling for the harshest possible punishment if she is convicted. A netizen wrote, “How SICK is this? WHO…I mean, who does this to their baby? No mercy for that mother, NONE NADA!” Another noted, “I hope the ladies in prison give her a hard time before giving her daughter the justice she deserves.” A third user said, “I’m pro-life. That being said, as many incidents similar to this that I’ve read about lately, I wonder if it had been better for all these poor babies to have not been born to live through the horrors they had to endure.” A fourth user commented, “She’d better get life in prison without any chance of parole. What kind of monster is this?”
Disclaimer: Inquisitr could not independently confirm the facts of this incident and is reporting based on the information available.
