world
Bodies of Four Children, Mother and Grandmother Found in Mechanicville Apartment
A Utah father learned his four children along with their mother and grandmother were found dead in a New York apartment days before a scheduled visit. Police cited evidence of poisoning and sharp-force injuries with a note pointing to the grandmother.
Nbc NewsAudio version
Tap play to generate a narrated version.
Developing·Limited corroboration so far. This page will refresh as more sources emerge.
Police in Mechanicville, New York, found the bodies of four children, their mother and their maternal grandmother Tuesday in an apartment building where the grandmother lived. The victims were identified as Harper Harmon, 13; Hudson Harmon, 11; 10-year-old twins Gavin and Gracelynn Harmon; Sarah Myers, 44; and Amy Steadman, 64.
Brady Harmon, the children's father who lives in Utah, said he was scheduled to pick up the children on Wednesday under a court-ordered parenting plan.
He learned of the deaths when Salt Lake City police delivered the news. Police Chief William Rabbitt said one child is believed to have suffered fatal sharp-force injuries and evidence points to intentional poisoning involving numerous prescription and over-the-counter medications. A handwritten note found in the apartment strongly suggests Steadman was involved in the deaths, he said.
Causes and manners of death remain pending further testing. Officers responded after a neighbor reported not having seen Steadman for some time. Myers and the children lived separately in the same building.
Harmon said the couple separated in November 2019 and divorced the following year. Myers moved to New York with her mother and the children. Court documents show he was entitled to the children from July through September each year plus regular FaceTime calls, but he said Myers repeatedly blocked both.
The last time he saw the children in person was in 2019. Myers was scheduled to appear in Utah court on Monday to discuss the parenting agreement, Harmon said. He added that he had no idea why police would suspect Steadman and noted she had nothing to gain or lose from the children traveling to Utah.
