A 64-year-old grandmother has been identified as the suspected perpetrator in the deaths of her daughter and four young grandchildren inside a home in Mechanicville, New York, authorities announced Thursday.
Background
Amy Steadman allegedly killed Sarah Myers, 39, and her four children: Harper Harmon, 13; Hudson Harmon, 11; and twins Gavin Harmon and Gracelynn Harmon, both 10. Steadman was also found dead inside the home.
According to court documents obtained by WRGB, a local CBS affiliate, Myers and Brady Harmon divorced in 2020 and were initially granted joint custody of their children. The agreement allowed Myers to have the children during the school year while Harmon would have uninterrupted time with them during the summer months, from July through September.
Sources tell WNYT, a local NBC affiliate, that Steadman harbored resentment toward her grandchildren's father after he was recently granted custody of the children. Brady Harmon told the Times Union that his ex-wife had been keeping the children from him, only allowing occasional FaceTime calls.
The Investigation
Mechanicville Police Chief Bill Rabbitt said during a press conference that officers discovered the bodies while performing a welfare check at the residence. A concerned neighbor reported not having seen the family in several days.
The bodies were too badly decomposed for responding officers to immediately identify them, according to Rabbitt. Investigators determined the family had been dead "for an extended period of time" before being found.
"One child was stabbed, while the rest appear to have been poisoned with prescription pills and over-the-counter medications," Rabbitt said. "There is recovered evidence from inside the apartment indicating intentional poisoning."
A handwritten note and other circumstantial evidence discovered at the scene "strongly suggests that Amy Steadman was involved in the deaths," the chief added.
The case remains under investigation by the Mechanicville Police Department with assistance from the New York State Police.
Key Takeaways
- Five family members, including a 64-year-old grandmother, were found dead inside a Mechanicville, New York home
- Four children ages 10 to 13 died; one child was stabbed and others appear poisoned with medications
- A handwritten note and other evidence suggest the grandmother killed her daughter and grandchildren
- The deaths occurred just weeks before the children were set to spend summer with their father in Utah
- Court documents show the parents divorced in 2020 and shared joint custody; the mother had primary care during school year
What's Next
An autopsy is pending to confirm official causes of death. Investigators continue to process evidence from the home. Brady Harmon told the Times Union he wants to bury his children in Utah, where he currently lives, saying "I want them as far away as possible from their mother." No charges have been filed because the suspected perpetrator was also found deceased at the scene.