A mother and grandmother in Mechanicville, upstate New York, killed four young siblings before taking their own lives in a murder-suicide, law enforcement officials disclosed.

The victims were identified as 13-year-old Harper Harmon, 11-year-old Hudson Harmon, and 10-year-old twins Gavin and Gracelynn Harmon. Police identified the children's mother, 44-year-old Sarah Myers, and grandmother, 64-year-old Amy Steadman, as the perpetrators of the killings.

A toxicology report obtained by NewsChannel 13 revealed that kratom and diphenhydramine (the active ingredient in Benadryl) were present in all four children's systems. Authorities confirmed that Harper, Hudson, and Gracelynn died from poisoning, while 10-year-old Gavin was fatally stabbed while attempting to defend himself.

All six bodies were discovered on June 23 during a police welfare check—nearly two weeks after investigators believe the killings took place.

The tragedy occurred shortly before the four children were scheduled to travel to Utah to spend the summer with their father, Brady Harmon, who had been locked in a lengthy custody dispute with Myers and had not seen his children in person since 2019.

Investigators found notes left behind by Myers and Steadman claiming they committed the acts to protect the children from alleged abuse by their father. However, police stated that an extensive investigation yielded no evidence to support those claims, which the father has forcefully denied.