A Vernal woman has been sentenced 25 years to life in prison for the 2019 death of her young step-daughter. 25-year-old Mckenley Yadon (also known as Mckenley Stout) was arrested and booked into the Uintah County Jail on May 23rd, 2019 for First Degree Felony Aggravated Murder and Second Degree Felony Child Abuse in connection with the death of 3-year-old Arianna Stout on March 14th, 2019. Court documents paint a chilling account of the events that resulted in the young girl’s death. The responding officer noted markings and bruising on the child not consistent with the claims in the 911 call and investigation that day revealed that the only occupants in the home at the time of death was the 3-year-old victim, her step-mother Mckenley Yadon, and her infant brother. A search warrant was granted and evidence was taken from the home. An autopsy of the girl was performed at the Utah Medical Examiner’s Office on March 15th and the results were provided to investigators on May 23rd. According to the Probable Cause statement, the findings of the autopsy showed the manner of death to be homicide and the cause of death to be asphyxia due to smothering. Mckenley Yadon was located and arrested on May 23rd, 2019 and, post Miranda warning, Yadon admitted while in the Detective’s vehicle to causing the death of her 3-year-old step-daughter. Later, while being interviewed, she admitted again to smothering the child, providing a detailed account. According to the PC statement, she also said she had been planning and thinking about the act for two or three days leading up to the event. Yadon entered a Guilty plea to the 1st Degree Felony Aggravated Murder charge on August 13th, 2020. The second charge of Felony Child Abuse was Dismissed. On Friday, Yadon was sentenced in 8th District Court to an indeterminate term of not less than 25 years and up to life in prison with the possibility of parole. Yadon was remanded to the custody of the Uintah County Sheriff for transportation to the Utah State Prison.
