A grandmother in upstate New York, suspected of poisoning her daughter and four grandchildren before taking her own life, left behind a stark two-sentence obituary for her surviving family.
“Amy J. Stedman, 64, passed away on Tuesday, June 23, 2026. At the wishes of her family, the funeral service was held privately,” notes the obituary shared by a local funeral home.
Stedman, along with her daughter, Sarah Myers, 44, and four grandchildren—Harper Harmon, 13, Hudson Harmon, 11, Gavin Harmon, 10, and Gracelyn Harmon, 10—were discovered dead in their home in Mechanicville during a police welfare check.
Police Chief Bill Rabbitt mentioned that handwritten notes found at the scene indicate Stedman likely poisoned her family before her suicide.
“Evidence of intentional poisoning involving various prescription and over-the-counter medications was located within the apartment,” Rabbitt noted, adding that toxicology reports for the deceased are still pending.
Additionally, one of the children was stabbed, which may have stemmed from anger related to a recent custody battle involving the children and their father, Brady Harmon.
The children’s father was embroiled in a custody dispute with Myers and had intended to take them to Utah for the summer.
However, earlier this month, during a conversation with Myers, she reported that the kids were unwell.
Harmon, who had not seen his children in person since their separation in 2019, expressed his deep concerns about their safety prior to the tragedy, calling the situation “horrifying.”
He also mentioned his long struggle to gain access to his children, emphasizing his desire to keep them safe from the allegedly harmful individuals in their lives.
