“Six dead and traces of poison in a New York house: the family mystery that no one can explain”

“n

Mechanicville police investigated the death of Amy Steadman, her daughter Sarah Myers, and the latter’s four children in an apartment in upstate New York, in a case that authorities treated as a criminal investigation while forensic examinations were underway.

n” “n

The head of the local Police Department, William (Bill) Rabbitt, stated on Thursday that a handwritten note found at the scene “strongly suggests” that the grandmother was involved in the deaths and that the evidence recovered inside the property pointed, preliminarily, to intentional poisoning.

n” “n

According to Rabbitt, investigators recovered items “consistent with intentional poisoning,” including “numerous prescription and over-the-counter medications.” The police chief added that, for the moment, there was no evidence that anyone outside the family group had been involved.

n” “n

He also remarked that “final decisions regarding responsibilities” will be made only after completing the investigation, receiving the toxicological results, and finishing the medical examiner’s reviews.

n” “n

We recommend reading:Six dead after military plane crash in Cochabamba amid crisis in Bolivia

n” “n

The police reported that they found the bodies during a welfare check on Tuesday night, after a neighbor—concerned because they hadn’t seen Steadman in several days—contacted the authorities.

n” “n

In his description of the scene, Rabbitt maintained that by Tuesday night the family had been dead for “a long period of time” and that the level of decomposition hindered initial tasks, to the point of preventing officers from immediately identifying the victims at the scene.

n” “n

The local police confirmed the identities of the deceased and regional media in the Albany area released them: Amy Steadman, 64; Sarah Myers, 44; and the four children Harper Harmon, 13; Hudson Harmon, 11; and twins Gavin Harmon and Gracelynn Harmon, both 10. According to what was reported by the police, Steadman was Myers’ mother and the grandmother of the minors.

n” “n

Although the main hypothesis presented at the press conference focused on poisoning, Rabbitt mentioned an additional detail: one of the children “suffered fatal blunt force injuries”.

n” “n

For the moment, the police chief avoided elaborating on that point and maintained that the forensic details and causes of death will be established once the pending studies are concluded.

n” “n

Rabbitt maintained that it was part of the set of clues that “strongly suggested” Steadman’s involvement. However, the official clarified that he could not publicly refer to the authorship or the specific content of the document while the investigation was still ongoing and until the coroner’s final certification was obtained.

n” “n

What local media reported about the syringes

n” “n

William Rabbitt reported that one of the children suffered fatal blunt force injuries, although the final cause of death depends on the coroner and toxicological studies (FB: Amy Steadman)

n” “n

In parallel to what was stated by the police, sources cited by the local channel Channel 13 News indicated that one of the children had allegedly been stabbed and that the others had allegedly been poisoned. Those same sources indicated that the minors had allegedly been injected with drugs and that syringes were found in the home.

n” “n

They also linked a possible motive to a recent custody decision: according to that version, the children’s father had been granted custody for 2 months, a period that was supposed to begin next Wednesday.

n” “n

The authorities, on the other hand, maintained a cautious position regarding the motive and the exact mechanics of the deaths.

n” “n

Rabbitt insisted that the investigation remained open, that preliminary evidence pointed to intentional poisoning, and that final determinations will depend on cross-referencing all available information: testimonies, findings at the scene, toxicological results, and the coroner’s review.

n” “n

The children’s father and the background of the custody

n” “n

Rabbitt indicated that the children’s father lived in Utah and that investigators spoke with him.

n” “n

In statements to the Albany Times Union newspaper, the man —identified as Brady Harmon— said that he had not seen his children since 2019 and that he was expecting their arrival at his home when the police informed him of what happened. “I went from thinking: ‘I’m going to see my children,’ to saying: ‘I will never see my children again,’” he maintained, and added: “To hell with her.”

n” “n

Harmon accused his ex-wife of preventing him from seeing the children and claimed she only allowed him occasional video calls. He also said he wanted to bury his children in Utah: “I want them as far away from their mother as possible,” he declared to the newspaper.

n” “n

As the toxicological analyses and coroner’s reviews progressed, the police reiterated that there was no evidence of third-party involvement and that there was no threat to the community. The investigation, according to Rabbitt, continued until the cause and manner of death for each of the six victims could be precisely established.

n”