Authorities investigating the deaths of six family members discovered inside a home in **Mechanicville, New York**, have released new details indicating that two of the victims died by suicide, while the deaths of four children are being investigated as homicides.
According to Mechanicville Police Chief Bill Rabbitt, investigators believe **Sarah Myers, 44, and her 64-year-old mother, Amy Steadman**, died by suicide before they were found alongside Myers’ four children inside Steadman’s residence on **June 23**. The tragic discovery followed a welfare check requested after concerned neighbors reported they had not seen the family for several days.
The four children, identified as **13-year-old Harper**, **11-year-old Hudson**, and **10-year-old twins Gavin and Gracelynn**, were also found dead inside the home. Investigators have determined that their deaths are being treated as homicides. Police said one of the children died from stab wounds, while investigators believe the other three children were poisoned.
During the investigation, detectives recovered evidence suggesting that multiple people inside the residence had been intentionally poisoned. Authorities found prescription medications, over-the-counter drugs, and a handwritten note inside the apartment, all of which have become key pieces of evidence as investigators continue reconstructing the events that led to the family’s deaths.
Police noted that the bodies were in an advanced state of decomposition when officers entered the residence, indicating the victims had likely been deceased for several days before they were discovered. The lengthy delay complicated the investigation, requiring forensic specialists to carefully examine the scene and determine each victim’s cause and manner of death.
Chief Rabbitt previously stated that investigators believed Amy Steadman had been involved in the intentional poisoning based on evidence recovered inside the apartment. Myers and her four children lived in a separate unit within the same apartment complex, while Steadman resided nearby. Authorities continue working to establish the complete timeline and circumstances surrounding the tragedy.
The heartbreaking case has also devastated the children’s father, **Brady Harmon**, who lives in **Salt Lake City, Utah**. Harmon said he had been fighting for years through the legal system to regain custody or secure visitation with his children after separating from Sarah Myers in **2019**. Despite years of legal proceedings, he said he had not been able to see his children in person since November of that year.
According to Harmon, he was only days away from finally being reunited with his children. They were scheduled to spend the summer with him in Utah from **July 1 through September 1**, giving them an opportunity to reconnect with him and meet extended family members they had never known. Instead, he learned of their deaths on June 23, just before those long-awaited plans could become reality.
Harmon said he exhausted every legal avenue available in an effort to restore his relationship with his children and never imagined events would end in such a devastating manner. He described the emotional impact as reaching the finish line after years of struggle, only to have everything taken away at the last possible moment. His focus now, he said, is on bringing his children’s remains home and honoring their memory.
The investigation remains active as authorities continue analyzing forensic evidence, toxicology results, and the handwritten note recovered from the residence. Officials have not announced whether additional findings will be released but have emphasized their commitment to determining exactly what occurred in one of the region’s most tragic family deaths in recent memory.
