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.

Police say a grandmother is believed to have poisoned her daughter and four grandchildren before taking her own life. Credit: Facebook

Evidence points to intentional poisoning

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.

Police are cleaning out the apartment where the horrific incident took place. Credit : WNYT News Channel 13 Albany

Welfare check led to tragic discovery

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.

Father says he was days away from seeing his children

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.

Featured image credit: Facebook

This article contains information that some readers may find distressing.

A mother who fatally shot her husband and two children shared a disturbing social media post days before carrying out the killings.

Emily Long, 34, was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound inside the family’s Madbury home early Monday morning, per the New York Post.

Authorities say she killed her husband, Ryan Long, 48, and their two eldest children - Parker, 8, and Ryan, 6 - in an apparent murder-suicide.

Both children were shot once in the head, while Ryan, who was terminally ill, sustained multiple gunshot wounds.

Their three-year-old child was discovered alive and unharmed in the house and is now in the care of relatives.

Investigators recovered a gun from the scene, but a clear motive remains unknown.

Assistant Attorney General Ben Agati told WCAX: “One of the biggest questions they have right now is motive, why? And I think that’s probably one of the more difficult things that they are trying to grasp to understand how this came to be.”

The tragedy comes against the backdrop of Ryan’s battle with glioblastoma, an aggressive and incurable form of brain cancer.

Emily had documented her husband’s illness on social media, often reflecting on the toll it was taking on their family.

She described trying to create normalcy for her children even as they struggled to understand what was happening.

In one recent video, Emily admitted: “I am determined to create normalcy. I have been struggling so much and really depressed and just have really become reclusive, and just wanted to be with my kids and my husband. That being said, I’m making a change and it is starting today … And I’m making a point to get out of my depression and do this for my family.”

But her posts also hinted at deep despair.

As reported by the Sun, in a since-deleted TikTok, she told followers: “Today I decided I need to make a conscious effort to shift my mindset. I’m getting out of this depression whether I want to or not.”

In another clip, she confessed: “I know that I need to see a therapist, I know that I need to ask for help... but I’m not ready to acknowledge that, I think.”

She went on to describe feeling as though she was “withering” away. “I’m mourning my husband, I’m mourning my marriage and it’s still there. It’s very confusing and it’s very overwhelming.”

Emily worked as director of operations for the restaurant chain Wing-Itz.

Ryan, a school psychologist at Oyster River Middle School, was remembered by colleagues and neighbors as devoted to his students and his family.

Neighbors in the town of fewer than 2,000 people expressed shock at the devastating loss.

Bevy Ketel, who lived nearby, told WBZ-TV: “It was a perfect family as far as we knew. It was shocking. We didn’t see it coming.”

She recalled seeing the Long children recently selling lemonade near their home.

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or visit 988lifeline.org.

Featured image credit: Facebook

Warning: This article contains information and details that some readers will find upsetting.

A Nebraska community has been left heartbroken after a family of four was found dead in what authorities are investigating as a triple murder-suicide.

At around 9:45AM on May 10, Nebraska State Patrol officers responded to a call at a home on Johnson Lake, Plum Creek Canyon.

Inside, they discovered the bodies of Jeremy Koch, 42; his wife Bailey Koch, 41; and their sons Hudson, 18, and Asher, 16. All four were found in their beds with fatal knife wounds, and the weapon was located at the scene.

According to the Nebraska State Patrol, police believe Jeremy, who had a long history of severe mental health struggles, fatally stabbed his wife and children before taking his own life.

A Tragic Discovery

The horrific scene was discovered by Bailey’s parents, Lane and Peggy Kugler.

In a devastating Facebook post, they wrote: “I found our two grandsons, Hudson, 18, and Asher, 16, and our daughter Bailey, and our son-in-law Jeremy, dead laying in their beds. What I saw will haunt me the rest of my life.”

Lane continued, explaining that Jeremy had “been fighting mental illness for many, many years. His depression had turned into psychosis. It was not Jeremy that committed this horrific act. It was a sick mind".

The tragedy struck just hours before Hudson was set to graduate from Cozad High School. According to a GoFundMe page Bailey had previously launched, Hudson had been planning to move to California to pursue a three-year bonsai apprenticeship, Law and Crime reported.

A Family Fighting for Mental Health Awareness

Jeremy and Bailey were reportedly high school sweethearts who had been together for over 25 years.

They were outspoken advocates for mental health, openly sharing their family’s journey on a Facebook page titled: Anchoring Hope for Mental Health.

Bailey, a teacher and writer, regularly contributed to the site Her View From Home, where she spoke candidly about supporting Jeremy through his battle with severe depression.

In a tribute, the page remembered Bailey as “a beloved friend, talented writer, and tireless mental health advocate,” saying she used “raw, unflinching truth-telling” to shine a light on the realities of mental illness.

Jeremy’s mental health struggles began as early as 2009, when he was diagnosed with severe depression. According to the GoFundMe post, he had survived at least four suicide attempts, including a devastating incident involving a semi-truck crash that left him with multiple severe injuries.

The family’s difficulties intensified in July 2023 when Jeremy could no longer work at their landscaping business. The financial pressure and mental toll forced Bailey to become the sole provider with her teacher’s salary.

In March 2024, Bailey wrote about waking up to Jeremy standing over her with a knife, saying, “Something is wrong.” She was able to talk him down and get him into a hospital. He later underwent treatments, including Electroconvulsive Therapy, which proved ineffective.

At one point, he was hospitalized for dehydration after refusing to eat or drink. “By not eating or drinking, Jeremy is slowly completing suicide,” Bailey wrote.

Just two days before the tragedy, Bailey posted a hopeful update: Jeremy had returned home but wasn’t reacting well to new medication. Still, she was optimistic about a new treatment option at a nearby hospital.

Community in Mourning

Cozad Community Schools issued a statement acknowledging the tragedy and confirming that the high school graduation would proceed as scheduled.

“Cozad Schools was made aware of a tragic situation that will deeply affect our Cozad community,” they said. “Our thoughts are with all those impacted during this incredibly difficult time.”

Support services and grief counseling were made available for students and staff. Holdrege Public Schools, where Bailey worked, also shared a statement describing her as “a passionate educator, a caring colleague, and a bright presence in the school community.”

Ongoing Investigation

The Dawson County Attorney has ordered autopsies for all four victims. The Nebraska State Patrol is leading the investigation, with assistance from the Dawson County Sheriff’s Office, Eustis Fire & Rescue, and the Dawson County Attorney.

In a statement, officials said: “The Nebraska State Patrol, the Dawson County Sheriff’s Office, Eustis Fire & Rescue, and the Dawson County Attorney extend condolences to all, across multiple communities, who will be affected by this incident.”

As the post from Her View From Home concludes: “Bailey would be the first to tell you her story is not an easy one to hear. But the world needs it. We are honored to share it...As she liked to say, mental illness does not win. Hope does.”

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or visit 988lifeline.org.

Featured image credit: Facebook/ Bailey Koch

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.

Featured image credit: James Carbone/Newsday RM via Getty Images