New York police have released new details from their investigation into a possible murder-suicide incident that has made 64-year-old Amy Steadman, the maternal grandmother, the lead suspect.
On Tuesday evening, two adults and four children were discovered dead inside a home in Mechanicville, a small town north of Albany. The victims were identified as Steadman, her 44-year-old daughter Sarah Myers, and their four children: 13-year-old Harper Harmon, 11-year-old Hudson Harmon, 10-year-old Gavin Harmon, and 10-year-old Gracelynn Harmon.
Mechanicville Police Chief William Rabbitt stated that officers were called for a welfare check after a neighbor reported the family had not been seen in days. He noted the bodies had been dead for an undetermined period before discovery. “I can’t speculate as to the number of days, but it was such that making identification at the house was difficult,” Rabbitt said.
Rabbitt revealed “numerous” prescriptions and over-the-counter medications were found at the home, leading investigators to believe the cause of death was intentional poisoning. The official cause of death remains undetermined. One child suffered sharp-force injuries. A handwritten note discovered at the scene indicated Steadman was responsible for the deaths, though the investigation is ongoing.
“I cannot get into the authorship of the note at this time nor the contents of what was in it,” Rabbitt said. “Until we get the cause and manner certified, we can’t speculate on the involvement of all persons.” Rabbitt confirmed there was no threat to the public.
Investigators contacted Brady Harmon, the father of the children, who lives in Utah. Harmon stated he had been subjected to false rumors and accusations on social media regarding his children’s welfare. He said they were in a custody dispute but denied allegations of child abuse. “Never touched my kids,” he said. “And this is coming from someone who has been abused. Unless you’re in that room and living day-to-day, you know nothing.”
Court documents did not indicate any abuse allegations against Myers, but Harmon reported being assaulted by Myers on the last day they met in person in 2019. “I was called a sperm donor, nothing more than an ATM, deadbeat father. I put my hand up and then she opened the door and stabbed me in the face with a medicine dropper,” he claimed.
Social media users also uncovered a GoFundMe page started by Steadman titled “Help get a domestic violence lawyer save my kids.” Harmon noted that Myers had not appeared in person for legal hearings in Utah in more than six years, only participating via video calls.
Rabbitt described the impact on Mechanicville, a town of about 5,200 residents. “Mechanicville is a close-knit city,” he said. “Many residents knew the family involved, have children and grandchildren of their own, or simply cannot comprehend the loss of six lives under such heartbreaking circumstances.”
