Investigators have released new details in the deaths of six family members found inside a New York apartment, saying evidence recovered at the scene strongly points to the children’s grandmother as the person responsible.
The victims were identified as 64-year-old Amy Steadman, her 44-year-old daughter Sarah Myers, and Myers’ four children — Harper, 13, Hudson, 11, and 10-year-old twins Gavin and Gracelynn.
Police discovered the bodies Tuesday evening inside an apartment in Mechanicville after concerns were raised when the family had not been seen for several days.
Mechanicville Police Chief William Rabbitt said evidence collected during the investigation, including a handwritten note and medication found inside the apartment, strongly suggests Steadman was responsible for the deaths.
Authorities emphasized that the investigation remains ongoing and that final conclusions will depend on additional forensic testing.
Investigators await toxicology results
According to police, preliminary findings indicate investigators are examining whether prescription and over-the-counter medications were used in an intentional poisoning.
Chief Rabbitt said evidence recovered at the scene points toward that possibility, while toxicology testing continues.
Autopsies performed by Albany Medical Center also revealed that one of the four children died from fatal sharp-force injuries. Police have not identified which child suffered those injuries, and the weapon involved has not been publicly disclosed.
Investigators said accountability will not be formally determined until toxicology reports, medical examiner findings and the remaining investigative work have been completed.
Authorities have also assured residents there is no ongoing threat to the public.
Family and community struggle to understand tragedy
Amy Steadman lived in the apartment where the bodies were found, while Myers and her four children lived elsewhere in the same building within the John S. Moore Homes complex.
According to NewsChannel 13, sources said Steadman had become resentful after the children’s father recently obtained custody of the four siblings.
The children’s father later told The U.S. Sun he had planned to pick them up on June 30 to return with them to Utah.
“No parent wants to outlive their children. It breaks my heart,” he said.
Meanwhile, neighbors described the close relationship between Steadman and her daughter.
One resident told the Times Union that Steadman helped Myers every day, while another described the pair as inseparable.
Steadman’s Facebook page also showed that in 2022 she shared a fundraiser seeking financial help for Myers to obtain a domestic violence lawyer.
Additional details have emerged about the timeline leading to the discovery. According to ABC affiliate WTEN, one neighbor contacted police after noticing a strong odor and flies around the apartment. Chief Rabbitt said investigators have not yet determined exactly when the family died, though family members and friends have expressed concerns they may have been deceased for nearly two weeks before they were found.
The deaths have shaken the close-knit community, with grief counselors made available to students in the Mechanicville Central School District as residents continue mourning the loss of six members of the same family.
Police say the investigation remains active as they await the final forensic and toxicology results that will determine the official causes and manner of death.
