One of the most heartbreaking family tragedies of 2026 has revealed a devastating timeline of planning, deception, and a father unknowingly preparing for a reunion with his children that would never happen.

Authorities say four children were intentionally killed inside an apartment in Mechanicville, New York, before their mother and grandmother later died by suicide.

The case came to light after a concerned neighbor requested a welfare check.

On the evening of June 23, 2026, officers responded to an apartment at John S. Moore Homes on Harris Avenue after neighbors reported they had not seen the family for several days.

Inside, police discovered the decomposed bodies of:

Amy Steadman, 64
Sarah Myers, 44
Harper Harmon, 13
Hudson Harmon, 11
Twins Gavin and Gracelynn Harmon, 10
Because of the advanced state of decomposition, investigators initially faced challenges identifying everyone.

Autopsies later determined that the four children died as victims of homicide, while the two adults’ deaths were ruled suicides. 💔

According to investigators, one child died from a stab wound, while the others showed evidence of intentional poisoning involving over-the-counter sleep medication and prescription drugs.

Police later revealed the tragedy had not been spontaneous.

According to Mechanicville Police Chief William Rabbitt, text messages recovered during the investigation indicate the two women had begun discussing the plan by June 5.

Investigators say the messages described:

Obtaining medications from multiple pharmacies 💊
Researching drug interactions online 🖥️
Discussing how to gather the children
Planning what to tell them
Talking about ways to avoid raising suspicion
Authorities believe the children were killed on June 10.

Recovered messages suggest the women continued communicating throughout that day while events were unfolding.

One exchange reportedly indicated that the initial method did not work as expected with at least one child.

Meanwhile…

More than 2,000 miles away in Utah, the children’s father, Brady Harmon, had no idea what was happening.

That same day, Sarah Myers sent him what appeared to be an ordinary text message.

She told him the children had “a little stomach bug” and were vomiting, asking if they could postpone their scheduled video call until the following evening.

Believing his children were simply ill, Brady replied that he hoped they felt better soon and said he would continue working.

The following day, he checked in again.

“Are the kiddos feeling better?”

He also attempted the rescheduled video call.

No one answered.

According to investigators…

By then, everyone inside the apartment had already died. 💔

Brady later shared that the last time he spoke with his children was during a 17-minute video call on June 7.

He described them as:

“Happy little kids.” ❤️

In the weeks leading up to the tragedy, he had been eagerly preparing for their first extended visit together in years.

Under a court-approved parenting agreement, the children were scheduled to spend approximately two months with him in Utah beginning July 1—their first in-person visit since late 2019.

He had asked Sarah Myers about the children’s hobbies so he could plan activities.

He also requested medical information to help care for them during their stay.

According to investigators, Myers responded with reᴀssuring messages, giving no indication that anything was wrong.

Notes recovered inside the apartment later revealed a very different picture.

One note attributed to Amy Steadman claimed responsibility and stated that the children were killed because she believed it was the only way to protect them from alleged abuse in Utah.

Other writings believed to have been authored by Sarah Myers expressed anger toward the Utah family court system and repeated similar allegations.

Police have stated they could not independently verify those claims.

Brady Harmon has strongly denied any allegations of abuse.

He has publicly stated that the greatest harm suffered by his children came from the very people who claimed they were protecting them.

In an emotional Facebook post, Brady shared screensH๏τs of his final text messages with Sarah and wrote that his children:

“Were not pawns to be sacrificed when control was slipping away.”

He described each child as an individual with unique dreams, personalities, and a family eagerly waiting to welcome them home. 🕊️

The tragedy has also drawn attention to the years of high-conflict custody proceedings that preceded it.

Brady has said he spent years trying to maintain a relationship with his children before finally securing the summer visitation that was supposed to begin in July.

He also stated that Child Protective Services in New York had received multiple reports involving the household over several years, although many were reportedly determined to be unfounded.

A contempt hearing related to the parenting agreement had been scheduled around the same time the bodies were discovered.

By early August 2026, investigators publicly confirmed that both Sarah Myers and Amy Steadman played roles in the children’s deaths before taking their own lives.

The investigation remains open while authorities await final toxicology results.

Brady Harmon has since brought his children’s cremated remains back to Utah, where family members held a memorial service and scattered their ashes. 🤍

The text messages he later released offer a heartbreaking reminder of how ordinary conversations can conceal unimaginable tragedy.

Today, the Mechanicville case stands as a devastating example of how prolonged family conflict, isolation, and careful planning can end in irreversible loss.

Four young lives were cut tragically short.

And a father who spent years fighting for time with his children was left holding only the final messages they exchanged—messages that sounded completely ordinary, even as tragedy was already unfolding. 💔🕊️