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Police say a grandmother is believed to have poisoned her daughter and four grandchildren before taking her own life.
Authorities in Mechanicville, an upstate New York city around 18 miles north of Albany, announced on Thursday (June 25) that evidence recovered from the home points to 64-year-old Amy Steadman being involved in the deaths of her daughter, Sarah Myers, 44, and Myers' four children.
The victims have been identified as Harper Harmon, 13, Hudson Harmon, 11, and 10-year-old twins Gavin Harmon and Gracelynn Harmon, per ABC News.
The family's bodies were found on Tuesday after neighbors requested a welfare check, telling police they had not seen them for several days.
Speaking at a press conference, Mechanicville Police Department Chief William Rabbitt said investigators have uncovered evidence suggesting the deaths were the result of intentional poisoning.
"We will say that there is recovered evidence inside the apartment to indicate intentional poisoning to include numerous prescription and over-the-counter medications," Rabbitt said.
He added that investigators have found no evidence suggesting anyone from outside the family was involved.
"Evidence recovered during the investigation, including a handwritten note and other circumstantial evidence, strongly suggests that Amy Steadman was involved in the deaths," Rabbitt said.
While toxicology testing remains ongoing and police have not released a motive, investigators also revealed that one of the children "suffered fatal sharp force injuries".
Authorities declined to comment further as the investigation continues.
Steadman lived in the same apartment complex as Myers and her children, although in a separate unit.
Rabbitt said he could not determine exactly how long the family had been dead before officers responded to the welfare check, describing it only as an "extended period of time".
He also noted that the children were not enrolled in public schools.
The children's father, Brady Harmon, who lives in Salt Lake City, Utah, told WNYT he had not seen his children in person since November 2019 despite spending years fighting for custody and visitation.
Harmon claims that he was only days away from finally seeing his children again.
"I wish there was something else I could have done legally," he told the station.
"But I went through everything I could. Everything that my lawyers could do, everything. I just never thought that someone would go and do this."
"You talk about the feeling of, how do you prepare for this? You get down to almost the finish line - just absolutely cut your legs out from underneath you and the only thing left to do is crawl across the finish line to bring the remains home," he added.
Our thoughts are with everyone affected by this tragedy.
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Neighbors living in the same building as a mother and son who died in their apartment have slammed authorities for not doing more to check on the family, after a four-year-old girl was rescued alive from the property.
As previously reported, Lisa Cotton, 38, and her son Nazir Millien, eight, were tragically found deceased at their home in the Bronx, New York, on Friday.
Lisa's four-year-old daughter Promise was found alive inside the apartment, having seemingly survived by eating chocolate.
The gruesome discovery was made after Lisa's landlord contacted her father, Hubert Cotton, 71, to ask if she had moved out of the property, after neighbors last reported seeing her around two weeks earlier.
He sent Lisa's eldest daughter to the home to check on the family, where she found Nazir - who was disabled after being born prematurely and required a feeding tube - slumped in his chair, covered in insects.
Hubert told the New York Post: "I had been trying to call her for days and she never answered. I figured she didn’t answer me because she didn’t want me to talk to me."
He added: "When she came in, [Nazir] was slumped over."
The young woman then went looking for Lisa but found four-year-old Promise "feeding herself with chocolate" on her mother’s bed.
"She picked her up and ran out and called the police," Hubert said, with a transcript of the 911 call stating that she had seen "bugs crawling" on Nazir's body.
It is not known how long the mom and son had been dead before they were found, but neighbors had reportedly been complaining of a foul odor that smelled like "death" for weeks.
Police had completed a welfare check on Tuesday - four days before the grim discovery was finally made - after receiving an anonymous 911 call, but left when nobody answered the door at the second-floor unit at East 231st Street.
Despite neighbors telling officers thst they hadn't seen Lisa or her children in two weeks, responding officers had no reason to break down the door as they did not hear any noises or notice any smells, police sources told the outlet.
A neighbor added: "[The police] said they’d be back in a few days. One of the social workers said she was trying to get a court order to have the door broken in."
Neighbors also claimed they'd heard "screaming" coming from the apartment for days.
Another neighbor, Sabrina Coleson, told the New York Post that the Administration for Children’s Services had also visited the property recently, but slammed them for not doing enough.
She told the outlet: "They didn’t do s**t. They were here ringing people’s bells the day before the wellness check. They were here, but they didn’t do s**t.
"One rang my bell and asked if I had any concerns for upstairs. And then a man opened his door and started yelling. Lisa was a very cool girl. I never saw her son with her, only the girl. It’s terrible."
Neither body reportedly had any signs of trauma, and police told Hubert that they believe Lisa, who had asthma, may have died of cardiac arrest, leaving Nazir to tragically starve to death.
Promise is believed to have kept herself alive by eating chocolate she found inside the home, and was brought to a local hospital in a stable condition.
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Hubert is now looking after Promise in his Bronx home and mourned Nazir, who was "so small. I held him in my palm. Like a bird, like a young bird."
He believes Promise may be traumatized from living with the bodies of her mother and brother for several days, and explained that while she "hasn't said anything" she often looks at him "like she knows something".
Hubert, who is originally from St. Kitts, added that his daughter had struggled with her mental health and believed she may have had bipolar disorder.
He also broke down over the prospect of burying both his daughter and grandson, adding: "I’m sorry. . . . Two of them. How am I going to get the money? To bury both of them?"
Eric Perez, who lived above Lisa, added: "The landlord hadn’t done wellness checks, people had called, neighbors called.
"It just smells like rat infested . . . the exterminator said the same thing — the smell is similar to rats and even death."
Police sources also claimed that the mother had an Administration for Children’s Services case pending against her, after she was arrested in June 2021 on child abandonment charges.
Sources claimed she had been acting erratically, swinging her young daughter around in a stroller and lighting a wig on fire in front of a commercial strip on White Plains Road.
When the police arrived, she was allegedly found walking away from the child, and authorities said the case was later sealed.
A spokesperson for ACS told the New York Post that the agency is "investigating this tragedy with the NYPD" but declined to comment further.
A toxicology report of a mother who killed her four children before dying by suicide has revealed some heartbreaking details.
In a heart-wrenching tragedy that has left a Wyoming community in mourning, 32-year-old Tranyelle Harshman fatally shot her four daughters before taking her own life on February 10.
The incident occurred in their Byron home, shocking neighbors and prompting discussions about mental health awareness, per PEOPLE.
On that fateful day, Harshman called 911 around 1:30PM, informing the dispatcher that her daughters had been shot and were likely deceased.
She detailed that two children were upstairs in their cribs, and two were downstairs in a shared bedroom. Despite the dispatcher's efforts to keep her on the line, Harshman stated she intended to harm herself and ended the call, saying it was "too late."
First responders arrived promptly, discovering two-year-old twins Brooke and Jordan deceased in their cribs.
Nine-year-old Brailey was found with a fatal gunshot wound in a downstairs bedroom. Seven-year-old Olivia was critically injured and transported to a hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah, where she underwent emergency brain surgery.
Despite valiant medical efforts, Olivia succumbed to her injuries five days later.
Harshman was found alive with a gunshot wound to the head but died two days later in the hospital.
At the time of the incident, her husband, Cliff, was on a business trip, and the children were reportedly home sick with the flu.
Cliff revealed that his wife had long struggled with mental health issues, including postpartum depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
He emphasized that mental illness involves chemical imbalances and is not merely a matter of willpower.
Expressing his grief and anger, Cliff stated: "As angry as I may be with her, I still love her—and I still lost her as well."
Friends and family have echoed Cliff's sentiments, describing Harshman as a loving and dedicated mother.
Briana Baker, a longtime friend, noted: "Her children were [Harshman's] main focus in life. You never know what someone is struggling with inside of their mind. Tranyelle was not the monster this tragedy makes her seem to be."
The community has rallied around the grieving families, organizing fundraisers and prayer vigils.
GoFundMe campaigns established to support both Cliff and the Blackmer family, Olivia and Brailey's biological father's family, have collectively raised over $200,000.
Toxicology reports revealed that Harshman had ketamine and clonazepam in her system at the time of the incident, per the Daily Mail.
Ketamine, primarily an anesthetic, is sometimes used off-label to treat depression but can cause hallucinations and delirium.
Clonazepam, known by the brand name Klonopin, is prescribed for panic disorders and epilepsy, with potential side effects including paranoia, suicidal thoughts, and impaired judgment.
The children’s toxicology reports indicated unusually high levels of propranolol—a beta-blocker used to treat high blood pressure—and diphenhydramine, an antihistamine found in medications like Benadryl that causes drowsiness.
The reason these substances were present in the children's systems remains unclear.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or visit 988lifeline.org.
DNA splatter discovered outside Nancy Guthrie’s Arizona home has revealed a harrowing truth.
As the search for the missing 84-year-old grandmother enters its second week, forensic analysis of blood droplets found near her front door and driveway is painting what experts describe as an extremely troubling picture.
Pictures obtained by Fox News Digital show the blood on the ground outside Guthrie’s front door and extending into the driveway.
Law enforcement has confirmed that DNA testing determined the blood belongs to Nancy.
Forensic pathologist Dr. Michael Baden recently did an interview with the outlet to discuss the evidence and share critical insight into what happened the morning Nancy vanished.
“Nancy Guthrie is bleeding from some area, either the hands or the face,” he said.
“The nature of the blood spots with little pale centers or donut shapes are typical for drops that come from the nose or mouth, because they’re mixed with air.”
“That means she’s coughing up blood or dripping from the nose. Otherwise, there would be a dripping from a cut from above, possibly from the hands or face," he added.
According to Baden, the shape and distribution of the blood suggest the bleeding was active and untreated as Guthrie moved away from her home.
“This blood dropped onto the porch area during an abduction,” he continued. “They indicate that it did not occur by innocent means...They happened not in a normal, innocent way where it could be covered up or have iodine and bandages put on it.”
The expert added that the droplets’ location and characteristics are "consistent" with a violent encounter.
Guthrie disappeared from her home in the early morning hours of Sunday, February 1.
She was reported missing later that day after failing to attend a weekly livestream church service with friends.
Authorities believe she was taken against her will.
The grandmother reportedly relies on several medications that officials warn she could die without.
Despite the mounting evidence, police have not named any suspects or persons of interest.
In a statement, the FBI confirmed it is continuing to seek help from the public.
“We appreciate the assistance and support we have received from the Tucson community. The FBI continues to offer a $50,000 reward for information leading to the recovery of Nancy Guthrie.
"You can help by submitting tips to the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI,” the agency said.
The blood discovery comes as investigators continue to analyze other disturbing evidence.
Doorbell camera footage released by authorities shows what police describe as an “armed” and masked individual outside Guthrie’s home the night she vanished.
FBI director Kash Patel addressed the footage on X, writing: "Working with our partners - as of this morning, law enforcement has uncovered these previously inaccessible new images showing an armed individual appearing to have tampered with the camera at Nancy Guthrie's front door the morning of her disappearance."
As the investigation unfolds, Joe Petito, whose daughter Gabby Petito was murdered in 2021, has drawn parallels between his family’s heartbreaking ordeal and the current search for Nancy.
In September 2021, the 22-year-old travel vlogger disappeared during a cross-country road trip with her fiancé, Brian Laundrie.
Her remains were later found in Wyoming’s Spread Creek camping area. An autopsy determined she died from blunt-force injuries to the head and neck and manual strangulation.
Laundrie returned home to Florida without her and refused to cooperate with authorities.
He later went missing, and his remains were discovered alongside a confession note admitting to killing Gabby. His death was ruled a suicide.
Speaking on Fox & Friends, Petito said he sympathizes deeply with Guthrie’s family, particularly her daughter, Savannah.
“It’s humbling to see so many people try to help your family, which is what Savannah is getting right now with her mom,” Joe said.
“But it’s also frustrating, because a lot of times, [because of] the information that’s out there."
"If someone does a bad report and doesn’t give accurate information, a lot of times other people just copy and paste it. And next thing you know, something’s out there that’s not true at all,” he added.
Nearly five years after his daughter’s death, Petito said he recognizes similarities between the two cases.
“I just hope that they’re taking their time and listening to each other,” he said, cautioning that “outside influences” often try to steer families during high-profile cases.
"They’re the only ones who have all the information - or as much as possible," he added.
Petito has also stressed the urgency of Guthrie’s medical condition.
“Nancy Guthrie needs some medicine and care that she might not be getting,” he said. “I hope this ends with Nancy coming home safe and sound and whoever did this behind bars.”
Two boys aged 14 and 15 have been arrested following a robbery that lead to the tragic death of an 82-year-old woman in the UK.
Joy Middleditch was found on the floor of her home on Saturday, March 25, following the robbery which left her breathing but in a critical condition, per Sky News.
The 82-year-old was taken to the James Paget University Hospital in Norfolk where she sadly passed away in the early hours on Monday, March 27.
Two teenage boys from the Lowestoft area in east Suffolk have been arrested following her death, and are being questioned by Martlesham Police.
As per a previous Sky report, Middleditch described her attackers to the police just hours before she passed away, stating that masked men barged into her home before knocking her to the floor and making off with her handbag.
"When we initially spoke to her at the scene, prior to her being taken off to hospital, it was reported that she heard a noise at the door," Sarsfield Donohue, Acting Superintendent (East Area) for Suffolk Police described.
He went on: "At some point during this incident a handbag has been stolen from the premises and then she was left at the premises until she was found by her family the following day."
The handbag was recovered "a short distance away" from Middleditch's home.
The officer described the attack as: "a really cowardly and callous attack on what was an elderly and vulnerable female in their own home."
Middleditch's family described her as: "A strong, determined character who loved life and her dog. She was a loving person who was sadly taken from us too soon.
"We as a family would like to thank the police and the community for all their help and support."
As per the Independent, a police spokesperson said: "A 15-year-old boy and a 14-year-old boy, both from the Lowestoft area, were arrested on suspicion of murder and taken to Martlesham Police Investigation Centre for questioning.
"A Home Office post-mortem examination was carried out on Monday 27 March. The cause of death is yet to be confirmed, pending further investigation."
Police have urged anybody with information about the attack to come forward by "using the online portal or by calling 101 quoting the reference 37/17537/23."
As per BBC News, a floral tribute has been established outside the home where the attack took place as residents share their shock and grief about the crime.
At the All Saints and St Margaret's Church near the home, prayers were said and candles were lit for the 82-year-old woman.
The cause of death is yet to be confirmed.
Our thoughts are with Middleditch's loved ones at this time.
A man who took his own life after killing four members of his family had shared a concerning post just days before the incident.
The horrific incident unfolded in a quiet cul-de-sac in Nassau County, Long Island, on Sunday, days after the family's 95-year-old matriarch, Theresa DeLucia, died.
Her son, Joseph DeLucia, Jr., 59, is accused of gunning down three of his siblings as well as his niece, before running out onto the front lawn and turning the gun on himself.
The horrifying crime happened in the small blue home Theresa owned in Syosset, and lived in with Joseph, with reports stating that he had become upset at his siblings' plans to sell the property.
Joseph, who worked as an automobile mechanic and had formerly been an EMT, had reportedly lived in the home his whole life and had been upset that he would need to find somewhere else to live once the property, which is believed to be worth $900,000, was sold.
Nassau County Police Capt. Captain Stephen Fitzpatrick said during a press conference that Joseph had used a pump-action Mossberg 12-gauge shotgun to kill his three siblings - Joanne Kearns, 69, of Tampa, Florida; Tina Hammond, 64, of East Patchogue; and Frank DeLucia, 63, of Durham, North Carolina, as the family convened in the den of the home.
He also shot his 30-year-old niece, Victoria Hammond, to death before running out into the front yard and fatally shooting himself.
Fitzpatrick added: "Officers found him with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to his chest. He was pronounced at the scene."
A neighbor, 73-year-old Sandy Landsman, had called 911 after hearing Joseph screaming in the yard before pulling the trigger, telling the New York Post: "We heard a high-pitched scream, it was Joe screaming, then one shot. I was shocked. I never would have thought beforehand that this would happen."
Landsman added that the man had been "very upset" at the prospect of the home being sold, explaining: "We heard he was very upset over this. He didn’t know where to go, he had lived there his whole life.
"One of the siblings said she would take care of him, that she would let him come and live with her. Apparently, that didn’t sound too good to him."
Fitzpatrick added that investigators had been told that Joseph had past mental health issues, which have not yet been confirmed, however, neighbors said that he had been struggling since his mother died on August 19.
He added that Joseph had been "kind of a hoarder", explaining: "He spent all his money on tools and stuff. The house was pretty much hoarded, packed with tools, stuff involved with an auto mechanic.
"He was living there his entire life, never lived on his own. So you could see his mindset, where his world was now changing and he was in a panic."
Joseph had also shared a concerning post on Facebook on the day that his mother died, just a week before shooting his siblings and himself.
He had posted a photo of a grey Tesla car with a New York license plate reading: "Deprssed".
Still reeling from losing his mother, things appeared to come to a head as his siblings convened on the home over the weekend to meet with a local real estate agent, Mary Macaluso, on Sunday to discuss putting the property up for sale.
Macaluso had been headed to the home to speak to the family, however, when she arrived she found the property had already been taped off by police.
Fitzpatrick added: "When this happened, they arrived to meet the realtor. They brought Starbucks, they were assembled in the den area — the brother had stayed behind."
He revealed that Joseph had fired 13 shots in total, aiming 12 at the victims before firing the final one at himself, meaning he'd had to reload the gun several times.
Officers described the scene they found in the home of the late Theresa, who'd worked for three decades as a nurse at a local hospital as well as volunteering in local shelters and food banks - as one of the most horrifying they'd encountered.
Nassau Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder said: "In 41 years, that was one of the most horrific scenes I’ve ever seen."
Fitzpatrick also revealed that the man had a clean record bar one arrest for drink-driving in 1983, and there had been one wellness check call to the home in 2022 which did not lead to any police action.
Our thoughts remain with the family and friends of the deceased.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or visit 988lifeline.org.
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