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Published 08:37 26 Jun 2026 GMT
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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