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Mechanicville family tragedy: children killed, mother and grandmother died by suicide

Police say the four children found dead in a Mechanicville apartment were murdered, while their mother and grandmother died by suicide.

In a Mechanicville, New York apartment, four children—Harper, Hudson, and twins Gavin and Gracelynn Harmon—were found dead and ruled homicide victims, one by stabbing and the others by suspected poisoning, according to Police Chief William Rabbitt. Their mother, Sarah Myers, and grandmother, Amy Steadman, subsequently died by suicide in the same residence, though officials have not disclosed how they took their lives. A note discovered at the scene implied Steadman's possible role in the children's deaths, and investigators are awaiting toxicology reports to confirm the cause of poisoning.

The six bodies were uncovered after a neighbor called for a welfare check, and the case remains under active investigation. Myers had been involved in a contentious custody dispute with ex-husband Brady Harmon, who resides in Utah and has not seen his children since 2019.

Why it matters

The case highlights a complex family tragedy involving homicide and suicide, raising concerns about child welfare and domestic crises.

In this story

Mechanicvillehomicidepoisoningsuicidecustody battlefamily tragedypolice investigation