Authorities say two adults found dead in a Mechanicville apartment on June 23 — 44-year-old Sarah Myers and her 64-year-old mother, Amy Steadman — are believed to have died by suicide. Investigators are treating the deaths of Myers’ four children (ages 13, 11 and 10) as homicides: one child was fatally stabbed and the others are suspected to have been poisoned. Police recovered a handwritten note and medications at the scene, and autopsy and toxicology tests are ongoing.
Tragedy in Mechanicville: Mother and Grandmother Died by Suicide After Four Children Were Found Killed
Sarah Myers with her four children. Myers and her mother, Amy Steadman (not pictured) are believed to have committed suicide before police found them. One of the children was fatally stabbed, and police believe the others were poisoned.Credit: Sarah Myers/Facebook
Authorities in Mechanicville, New York, said two adults found dead at an apartment on June 23 — a mother and her own mother — are believed to have died by suicide, and that the four children in the home were victims of apparent homicide.
Who Was Found: Police identified the adults as 44-year-old Sarah Myers and her 64-year-old mother, Amy Steadman. The four children were publicly identified by police as 13-year-old Harper Harmon, 11-year-old Hudson Harmon and 10-year-old twins Gavin and Gracelynn.
Harper Harmon, Hudson Harmon and twins Gavin and Gracelyn.Credit: Sarah Myers/Facebook
Investigation Details
Mechanicville Police Chief Bill Rabbitt told local reporters that when officers entered Steadman’s apartment on June 23 after a welfare check, they discovered the six deceased occupants in an advanced state of decomposition. Investigators are treating the children's deaths as homicides. Police say one child suffered a fatal stabbing and the other three are suspected to have been poisoned.
Authorities reported recovering a handwritten note and items consistent with intentional poisoning, including prescription and over-the-counter medications, at the scene. Officials have emphasized that autopsy and toxicology testing remain ongoing to determine precise causes of death and the sequence of events.
Amy Steadman with Harper Harmon, Hudson Harmon and twins Gavin and Gracelyn.Credit: Amy Steadman/Facebook
Family Context
The children’s father, Brady Harmon, who lives in Salt Lake City, told local outlets he had not seen his children in person since his separation from their mother in November 2019. Harmon said he had been pursuing custody or visitation for six years and was due to have the children for a scheduled visit beginning July 1. He learned of their deaths on the same day police located the bodies.
“I wish there was something else I could have done legally,” Harmon told reporters. “But I went through everything I could. I just never thought that someone would go and do this.”
What Authorities Are Asking
Police have not publicly named any suspects beyond describing two adults at the scene as likely suicides. Investigators are asking anyone with information about the family’s recent contacts or movements to come forward to assist the investigation.
Support Resources
If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or visit thehotline.org (24/7, confidential, multiple languages). If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health or emotional crises, call or text 988 or visit 988lifeline.org for 24/7 support.
The investigation remains active. Officials continue to process forensic evidence and toxicology results to clarify the circumstances surrounding these deaths.
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