Father Charged in Infant Son's Death After Alleged Live Burial

John Hannon, 43, has been charged with first-degree felony child abuse resulting in death following the tragic death of his 11-month-old son, John “Teigue “JJ” Hannon. Authorities allege that Hannon murdered the baby by partially burying him alive in the dirt.

An affidavit revealed that the infant was still breathing when his severely battered face was covered in soil in a ditch. This alleged act occurred months after the baby's mother had attempted to secure a restraining order against Hannon.

History of Violence and Recent Arrests

Hannon possessed a documented history of domestic violence against his family. Just a week prior to the incident, he had been arrested for allegedly driving under the influence of drugs and attempting to plant methamphetamine on a driver he had T-boned.

The father was reportedly free despite this troubling background. A statement from an official emphasized the gravity of the situation: “There is no greater evil than individuals who hurt and kill children. You have my word we will do everything in our power to bring justice to this precious child.”

The Disappearance and Discovery

Last month, Hannon allegedly took baby JJ for a walk in a stroller around Flora Vista, New Mexico. He later informed the baby’s mother, Krystal Phillips, that he would not return the child, claiming he had left him with a grandparent hundreds of miles away in Colorado.

Fearing the worst due to her ex-partner’s violent nature, Phillips contacted the police. She had previously sought to prevent Hannon from having contact with her or their children.

Post-Mortem Findings and Interrogation

The infant’s remains were discovered two days later in a ditch, with his head and left arm buried in the soil. A post-mortem examination confirmed that JJ suffered a fractured skull and other head injuries.

Crucially, dirt found in the baby's airways indicated that the young child was alive when he was partially interred. When arrested in his RV, Hannon initially denied hurting JJ, but later admitted the baby was “hurt bad.”

Father’s Statements and Legal Proceedings

When shown photographs detailing the infant’s injuries, Hannon allegedly responded to a question about hitting the baby by saying, “No, not technically.” In other interviews, he stated that while he “did love my kids” at one point, he had since “changed” and made a “mistake” involving JJ.

Hannon’s record includes numerous domestic violence arrests and convictions dating back to 2022. These prior incidents involved allegedly punching Phillips’ 15-year-old son in the eye and slamming Phillips’ head into a crib. A restraining order Phillips filed was eventually overturned after she failed to appear in court.

One of Hannon’s attorneys, Nicole Hall, recently filed documentation stating that her client “does not understand the nature of his charges and has apparent memory issues.”