A 34-year-old mother of nine and her newborn son are both dead after she was struck by a vehicle while walking along a rural road in Moroni, Utah on Tuesday morning. Rebecca Hafen was hit around 7:55 a.m. near 1808 E. Dairy Lane while walking on the shoulder, and though doctors performed an emergency delivery, she died from her injuries that same day.
The newborn was rushed to a hospital and placed in the neonatal intensive care unit, where medical staff did everything they could to give him a fighting chance, according to a GoFundMe update cited by KABB. Despite that effort, the baby died on Wednesday. Before he passed, Tyson Hafen and all eight of the couple's surviving children were able to hold him, spend time with him, and say goodbye, according to a family update shared on Facebook.
Utah Highway Patrol Lt. Zach Randall said Rebecca Hafen was walking on the shoulder when she was struck, and investigators cited severe morning sun glare and limited visibility as the primary factors in the crash. Troopers say the driver was not suspected of impairment and called 911 within roughly one minute of hitting her. No charges are expected against the driver unless investigators later determine that speed was a factor, though final review authority rests with the Sanpete County Attorney's Office.
A Community Rallies Around a Grieving Father
A GoFundMe campaign for Tyson Hafen's family was created to help with medical expenses, recovery-related needs, care for the children, and support for the newborn in the NICU. Organizers say the money will also help support the children as they grieve their mother's death and adjust to life without her.
Rebecca Hafen was walking along a roadway when she was struck. U.S. Census Bureau data shows Moroni has a population of roughly 1,535 residents.
Rural Roads, Seasonal Glare, and a Statewide Pattern
The crash occurred on a rural route in Sanpete County.
The crash also highlights how limited visibility can affect pedestrian safety on rural roads. That risk lines up with broader statewide trends. Preliminary data from the Utah Highway Safety Office recorded 35 pedestrian fatalities in Utah during 2025. Separately, the Utah Department of Public Safety has noted that auto-pedestrian crashes and fatalities tend to climb during the fall and winter months, with December ranking among the worst months, as reported by KSL.
Nationally, pedestrian safety remains a concern.
For now, the Hafen family is focused on grieving two devastating losses at once. Tyson Hafen and his children lost both Rebecca and their newborn son within a day of each other, and the outpouring of donations reflects a community trying to support the family as it grieves.
