Father of four kids killed by their mom and grandmother in a grisly murder-suicide calls toxicology findings ‘sickening’
The father of the four children who were killed in a murder-suicide at the hands of their mother and grandmother called the toxicology report ‘sickening’.
Brady Harmon lost his beloved kids, Harper, 13; Hudson, 11; and 10-year-old twins Gavin and Gracelynn Harmon, on June 10 after his ex-wife, Sarah Myers, and her mother, Amy Steadman, carried out a chilling murder-suicide in Mechanicville, New York.
Myers, 44, and Steadman, 64, piled the children with drugs and repeatedly stabbed Gavin before taking their own lives, according to investigators.
The toxicology report concluded that the over-the-counter drug, diphenhydramine, ‘was present at fatal or lethal levels in all six individuals,’ the Mechanicville Police Department said.
The drug Mitragynine, which is a primary compound in kratom and Benadryl, was found in four of the six victims, police said.
Brady shared the report on Facebook, along with his raw reaction to learning how his children were taken from him.
‘The pain is still as raw as if it happened yesterday. Reading today’s official toxicology findings makes it even more sickening to understand what was done to them,’ he wrote.
The heartbroken father added: ‘I will never understand how two people who claimed to love and care about these children could deliberately cause them such unimaginable harm.
Brady Harmon, the father who lost his four young children in a horrific murder-suicide orchestrated by their mother and grandmother, said it was ‘sickening’ to hear the toxicology results in their deaths
He shared the Mechanicville Police Department’s report on Facebook, hitting out at his ex-wife and former mother-in-law for what they did to his children
‘Harper, Hudson, Gavin, and Gracelynn were innocent. They deserved to feel safe. They deserved to grow up, chase their dreams, celebrate birthdays, reach milestones, and live the lives that were stolen from them.’
Brady’s comments come as he seeks $400 million from New York authorities, alleging that a horrific pattern of abuse involving his children was allowed to continue for years despite repeated warning signs.
He filed a legal notice signaling his intent to sue the City of Mechanicville, Ballston Spa Central School District, Mechanicville City School District, Saratoga County, and the Mechanicville Housing Authority, alleging they failed to protect his children, NEWS10 reported.
The 17-page notice alleges that the tragedy resulted from years of disturbing behaviour that law enforcement should have detected or ended.
His notice also accuses his ex-wife and former mother-in-law of suffering from Munchausen syndrome by proxy – a form of abuse in which a caregiver fabricates, exaggerates, or causes illness in somebody under their care.
Brady claims that the two women were ‘regularly drugging’ the children with substances including melatonin, Benadryl and kratom ‘to control them and to make them sick,’ per the notice.
One of the most alarming incidents allegedly unfolded in May 2024, when all four children became ill while attending the Mechanicville City School District, the notice detailed.
Three were taken to Albany Medical Center showing signs consistent with an opiate overdose. Gracelynn’s condition was allegedly so serious she required Narcan – a life-saving medication that rapidly reverses an opioid overdose.
Myers, 44, and Steadman, 64, piled the children (pictured) with drugs and repeatedly stabbed Gavin before taking their own lives, according to investigators
According to the filing, Sarah, the children’s mother, blamed the episode on Benadryl.
The hospital contacted Child Protective Services, but Brady’s attorneys argue the incident should have led to the children being removed from their mother’s care or, at minimum, ‘triggered immediate criminal and abuse investigations.’
The filing claims that Gavin suffered particularly severe abuse and was ‘falsely diagnosed with several mental illnesses and put on a psychotropic medication that reduced his ability to fight back.’
Brady also alleges that as his children became chronically absent from school – supposedly because Myers was homeschooling them – agencies withheld information concerning their education, medical treatment and alleged abuse from him ‘in violation of his parental rights and the law.’
He had not seen his children in person since 2019 amid a bitter custody battle, but that was about to change with Brady reaching an agreement for the children to spend the summer with him in Utah from July through September.
‘I sent their flight information. I planned activities based on their interests,’ he wrote to his ex-wife as he prepared for their arrival.
‘I requested their medical records, medications, allergies, doctors’ information, and other documents that were required under the parenting plan. I believed I was preparing to welcome my children home.’
He spoke to them on June 7 and was looking forward to their reunion. Then, on June 10, Sarah sent him a message saying the children were sick.
His notice also accuses his ex-wife (left) and former mother-in-law (right) of suffering from Munchausen syndrome by proxy – a form of abuse in which a caregiver fabricates, exaggerates, or causes illness in somebody under their care
‘The kids have gotten a little stomach bug throwing up is it okay to switch your online visit to tomorrow night at 4 pm your time please?’ she wrote.
When he tried the following day again, his video call went unanswered.
Investigators now believe the children were already dead. The six of them were found deceased on June 23 after a neighbor noticed an unusual number of flies and a smell coming from the Mechanicville apartment and called police.
Authorities also revealed that Sarah and Amy planned how they would kill the children in text messages that same day.
The Mechanicville Housing Authority, which oversaw the family’s apartment complex, is among those named in the notice, while Harmon’s lawyer Nicholas Liakas said the children remained in Myers’ care despite ‘multiple complaints and investigations’ involving CPS.
Brady’s lawyer, Nicholas Liakas, said the proposed lawsuit is not solely about obtaining compensation for a grieving father, but about forcing changes designed to prevent another family from suffering a similar catastrophe
‘Child Protective Services failed these children,’ Liakas told the New York Post.
‘When the warning signs are there, people need to step up. We can’t wait until a tragedy occurs to say what should have been done before these children are abused.’
Liakas said the proposed lawsuit is not solely about obtaining compensation for a grieving father, but about forcing changes designed to prevent another family from suffering a similar catastrophe.
‘What we’re doing is we’re seeking justice for this family, but we’re also trying to implement institutional change here,’ he said.
The Daily Mail contacted the City of Mechanicville, Ballston Spa Central School District, Mechanicville City School District, Saratoga County, and the Mechanicville Housing Authority for comment.
