A father has revealed details of a custody dispute following the deaths of his four children, their mother, and his former mother-in-law, who were found deceased in an upstate New York apartment. Authorities are investigating the incident as an intentional poisoning.
On Tuesday, the Mechanicville Police Department responded to a welfare check at an apartment in Mechanicville, a small town near Albany. Inside, they discovered the bodies of Sarah Myers, 44; her four children, Harper, 13, Hudson, 11, and twins Gavin and Gracelynn, both 10; and Myers' mother, Amy Steadman, 64.
Mechanicville Police Chief William Rabbitt stated at a press conference that an autopsy revealed one of the children suffered fatal blunt-force injuries and that evidence at the scene indicated "intentional poisoning." A note and circumstantial evidence "strongly suggest" Steadman's involvement, Rabbitt added.
The children's father, Brady Harmon, told multiple outlets that he and Myers had been in an ongoing custody battle. Harmon and Myers, who married in 2015, separated four years later. The children were slated to spend the summer with Harmon in Utah, marking their first extended visit in six years.
Harmon last spoke to his children via FaceTime on June 7. On June 10, he received a text from Myers stating the children were sick and that they would speak on June 11. That same day, Harmon's lawyer reportedly sent Myers paperwork regarding an upcoming custody hearing scheduled for June 29.
"So, I don't know if that pushed them over the edge because like, 'Oh my gosh, he actually has a lawyer that's going to do his job. And we don't know way out of this, so let's do the next best thing. He'll never have access to these kids…' and then do what they did," Harmon speculated in an interview with The U.S. Sun.
Harmon described his children as "happy little kids," recalling them sharing drawings and showing him their projects during their FaceTime calls. He had been actively involved in attempting to secure custody and visitation rights.
Neighbors described Myers and Steadman as inseparable, with one resident noting that Steadman was with her daughter every day to help. Steadman's Facebook profile from 2022 showed a shared GoFundMe for her daughter to "help get a domestic violence lawyer." Harmon, however, denied any victim status for Myers in his interviews, referring to her as the "culprit."
Police have stated that there is no ongoing threat to the public. The tight-knit community of Mechanicville has been left stunned by the events, with local high school students seen kneeling near the scene in their caps and gowns following the close of the school year. The school district has offered counseling services to students.
"Our thoughts remain with the family members, friends, neighbors, first responders and everyone affected by this tragedy," Chief Rabbitt said.