MORONI, UT — A Moroni family is mourning the loss of Rebecca Hafen and her newborn baby after a Tuesday morning crash on the shoulder of a road near Dairy Lane. Utah Highway Patrol said Hafen was walking when a vehicle struck her about 7:55 a.m. near 1808 E. Dairy Lane.
Hafen was pregnant at the time of the crash and was taken to a hospital, where she died Tuesday from her injuries. A fundraiser for her husband, Tyson Hafen, and their children later said doctors carried out an emergency delivery after the collision. The baby was treated in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit before dying Wednesday, according to the update.
Utah Highway Patrol says Hafen was walking on the shoulder when she was struck
Utah Highway Patrol Lt. Zach Randall said Hafen was on the road shoulder when the vehicle hit her. The crash happened just after sunrise in Sanpete County, in a stretch of roadway where pedestrians may be close to passing traffic.
The location was identified as near 1808 E. Dairy Lane. Investigators have not publicly said what led up to the collision beyond the fact that Hafen was walking along the shoulder at the time.
The victim was described as a mother of nine. Her family’s public fundraiser said the crash set off a fast-moving medical emergency that involved both hospital care for Hafen and urgent treatment for the baby she was carrying.
Doctors delivered the baby after the crash, then rushed him to intensive care
According to the GoFundMe organized for Tyson Hafen and the couple’s children, medical teams performed an emergency delivery after Rebecca Hafen arrived at the hospital. The newborn was then taken for care in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
The fundraiser said the baby was receiving intensive care while family members waited for updates. That care continued through Wednesday, when the family posted that the infant had died.
The update said the medical team “did everything they could” to care for him and give him a chance. It also said Tyson Hafen and the children were able to spend time with the baby, hold him, love him and say goodbye before he died.
Fundraiser says the family lost both mother and child in two days
The GoFundMe described the family’s grief as overwhelming after losing both Rebecca Hafen and the newborn. In the Wednesday update, the family said it found some comfort in believing the baby was now with his mother.
“Today, our family received more heartbreaking news. Tyson’s sweet baby passed away,” the update said. It added that the children had already lost their mother and now their new baby brother as well.
The fundraiser said donations would help cover medical expenses, recovery-related needs and care for the children. It also said the money would support the family as they grieve Hafen’s death and the loss of the newborn who had been in the NICU.
No charges expected unless investigators find speed was a factor
Utah Highway Patrol said it does not expect charges against the driver unless investigators determine speed played a role. The decision on any possible charges will be made by the Sanpete County Attorney’s Office.
That means the case remains in the hands of investigators as they review what happened before the collision. Officials have not announced any criminal charges, and no other contributing factors have been publicly confirmed.
For now, the focus has shifted to the family’s loss and the aftermath of the crash. The fundraiser says the money raised will help the Hafens handle medical bills and the practical needs that follow such a sudden emergency.
Sanpete County crash leaves a large Utah family facing sudden loss
The tragedy has drawn attention because it involved a pregnant mother, an emergency delivery and the death of a newborn after hospital treatment. It also left behind a large family with nine children now dealing with the deaths of both parents’ baby and their mother in less than two days.
Rebecca Hafen’s death was confirmed Tuesday after she was transported to the hospital. The baby’s death was confirmed in the fundraiser update posted Wednesday, bringing a heartbreaking end to the medical battle that began at the roadside crash scene.
The case is still centered on a single morning collision near Moroni, but the impact reaches far beyond the roadway. The family’s public appeal shows how quickly a routine walk can turn into a devastating loss with lasting effects for surviving relatives.
Local news that matters, from Dulaney Griffin.
