Toxicology reports have confirmed that four children found dead in an upstate New York home were drugged with a combination of kratom and diphenhydramine, commonly found in Benadryl, prior to their deaths. Authorities believe their mother, Sarah Myers, 44, and grandmother, Amy Steadman, 64, administered the concoction as part of a murder-suicide plot.
Harper Harmon, 13; Hudson Harmon, 11; and 10-year-old twins Gavin and Gracelynn Harmon were discovered on June 23, 13 days after they are believed to have been killed. Police stated that Myers and Steadman allegedly poisoned the children and repeatedly stabbed Gavin before taking their own lives. The discovery was made by a neighbor who noticed a foul odor and an unusual number of flies emanating from the Mechanicville apartment.
Police Chief Bill Rabbitt indicated that the toxicology findings were consistent with the direction of the ongoing investigation. Authorities previously uncovered messages between Myers and Steadman discussing their plan to medicate the children on the same day Myers informed the children's father, Brady Harmon, that they were suffering from a stomach bug.
Rabbitt stated that Myers instructed Steadman to administer the medications between 10:30 a.m. and noon on June 10, before a scheduled 6 p.m. phone call with the children's father. He also revealed that one of the women sent the other a message saying, "It's not working. We need another option."
Investigators also found that Steadman visited multiple pharmacies in the days leading up to the incident. Recovered internet search history reportedly included queries about medication reactions, the effects of insulin on non-diabetics, and the Utah court system. Later searches allegedly involved "Where is the most fatal place to be stabbed," with results detailing specific arteries and the neck.
Letters discovered by police include a handwritten confession attributed to Steadman and unsigned notes believed to be from Myers, alleging that she and her children experienced abuse while living in Utah. Steadman had previously accused Brady Harmon of abuse in a deleted online fundraiser. However, Harmon has denied these accusations, calling Myers the "culprit" and claiming she once stabbed him with a medicine dropper in 2019. He stated he had been separated from his children since then, accusing Myers of keeping them away to maintain control.
Harmon and Myers had an agreement for him to have custody of the children from July 1 through September 1. Harmon last spoke with the children on June 7, preparing them for the upcoming visit. On June 10, he received a text from Myers stating the children had a stomach bug and asking to reschedule their online visit. He responded with well wishes, and subsequent attempts to video call on June 11 went unanswered. Harmon has shared these communications, expressing his belief that the children would have revealed the truth about their mother and grandmother if they had been able to spend the summer with him in Utah.