Full Breakdown
Mechanicville Family Tragedy: Poisoning and Stabbing Plot
8/6/2026, 1:07:13 AM
Core Event – Fatal Poisoning and Stabbing in Mechanicville
On June 10, Sarah Myers, 44, and her mother Amy Steadman, 64, carried out a coordinated attack that resulted in the deaths of four children and the two women themselves in the grandmother’s apartment in Mechanicville, New York. The children—10-year-old twins Gavin and Gracelynn, 11-year-old Hudson, and 13-year-old Harper—were first given a “cocktail of drugs” intended to poison them. When the poisoning did not act quickly enough, the women resorted to stabbing; investigators say Gavin survived the drug attempt but later died from defensive wounds inflicted with a knife. The six bodies were discovered after a neighbor requested a welfare check, and the victims were identified on June 23.
Background & Custody Dispute
Myers and Steadman were involved in a long-standing custody dispute with the children’s father, Brady Harmon. The dispute had recently been resolved with a court-approved plan granting Harmon a 60-day summer visitation period. Prior to the murders, child-welfare officials had investigated Myers multiple times between 2020 and 2024, documenting instances of inadequate guardianship and educational neglect, though no removal from her care was ordered. Myers had also alleged abuse by Harmon; police found no evidence supporting those claims and Harmon has denied any wrongdoing.
Official Statements & Responses
Brady Harmon, the father of the four children, described the killings as a “horrendous, spiteful act” and expressed that he could not comprehend the “sick, sadistic, twisted minds” behind them. He emphasized that he had been working to rebuild his relationship with the children and was preparing to bring them to Utah for the summer visit. Police disclosed that text messages between Myers and Steadman outlined a plan to poison the children between 10:30 a.m. and noon, and that internet searches on Steadman’s phone included queries about medication reactions, insulin effects on non-diabetics, and lethal stabbing locations. Mechanicville Police Chief William Rabbit confirmed the investigation remains ongoing and that child-protective services have not commented on the case.
Data & Statistics
- Victims: four children (twins Gavin and Gracelynn, ages 10; Hudson, 11; Harper, 13) and two adults (Myers, 44; Steadman, 64).
- Date of murders: June 10 (bodies discovered days later).
- Date bodies identified: June 23.
- Prior CPS investigations of Myers: multiple cases from 2020-2024, resulting in findings of inadequate guardianship and educational neglect.
Verbatim Quotes
- “It’s not working, we need another option.” — Police — Police
